7:53 ^44 /^^' SjL£r. OUTLINE GEA.MMAE ^B 735 327 KAOHAHI UiAi a L X i G \\ 4 G i. B I I • W'Xis lU'i'itr:; a' li\ ^sc;: 'Ss-.ll i.'j, aiul a I OOLLRaB, c*. > itr iailXTKP M TAi \I ^SECRETARIAT VVC^^ GIFT OF OUTLINE GE/VMMAE o o lACHAEI (BARA) LANGUAGE AS yPOKKN IN DISTRICT DAEIUNG, ASSAM; 'aolith llliistrntii'i' ^ontcnros, $oUp, |li':uling ^"fssoiis, and a shod Docabulai'!). By Rev. S. ENDLE, 8. P. 0. ASSAM CllUUCH WlSSiON, 1-ATK 8'^'UDK^■T, ST, AUGUbTlNK'S COLLliSE, CAKTEUBURY. SHILLONG: rillNTEU AT THE ASSAM SECllETARIAT PRESS. 1884. CARPENTIER B3 \?s'] PREFACE. ; . ; ,, The following brief sketch of the Kachari language as spoken in this district (Darrang) has been put together under many difficulties and disadvantages, as the writer has been able to give to its compilation little more than mere scraps and fragments of his time. Much of the Accidence, in particular, was drawn up in MS, some two j^ears since, and should have been re-written before publication, had the pressure of other duties given opportunity for so doing; for it was put together at vaHous times and in different places, and the whole suffers from a w^ant of re -arrange- ment and expansion. This is especially the case with the section which treats of Yerbs, and the peculiar way hi which they are compounded with other parts of speech; i.e., with nouns, adjectives, and other verbal roots. There are many points of interest, too, in the language, e.g., the exact use and force of the tenses, which must still be regarded as open questions, and with regard to which we shall not perhaps be in a position to speak with anything like author- ity until we know something of the Grammar of the many closely cognate languages. But as there seems little pros- pect of any great additions being made to our knowledge in this direction for some time to come, it seems best on the whole to allow the following pamphlet to appear at once, with all its obvious and manifold imperfections. As it stands it fairly represents the speech of the Kachari population of this district, as gathered from the lips of tlit3 people themselves during the last fifteen or twenty years ; 757704 li OITTLI^E KACHARI GRAMMAR. aiiJ'it may at least serve to assist and lighten the labours >oT''6tter'''\VOrkors in the same field of research — a field which certainly cannot be said to be exhausted, or in any real sense to liave been at all adequately cultivated as yet. A further reason for at once publishing the following Outline Grammar, in spite of its many shortcomings, is sup- ])lied by the desire to have a Manual of this kind for the use of managers of tea-factories, &c. The Kacharis are essentially the navvies of Assam, — -a nation of "hewers of AYOod and drawers of water, " and much of the hard physi- cal work (hoeing, jungle- clearing, &c.) on tea-factories is still carried on by them. The manager of any factory on which Kachari labourers are employed in large numbers, will certainly find it to his interest to learn something of their language; for they are an intensely dannisli people, and are not a little gratified by seeing their employer show some interest in their customs, language, and manner of life. The writer well remembers a little "scene" in a factory in this district (Darrang), where a number of Kachari labour- ers, who had taken umbrage at some real or fancied griev- ance, suddenly came up to the manager's bungalow, threw down their hoes, &c., before him in a highly theatrical, demonstrative fashion, and with the great plainness of speech Kachdris are apt to use at such times, announced that they were going off to their own distant homes forthwith. A few simple, humourous Words addressed to them, partly in their own tongue, soon made them see the absurdity of the position they were assuming ; and after a short colloquy they took up their hoes and went back to their lines in PREFACE. Ill great good humour. Many managers complain of Kachdri labourers as being difficult to get on with — and certainly they have no small share of doggedness; and when once their suspicions have been aroused, with or without reason, it is not at all easy to bring them to a happier state of mind. But if they are not to be easily driven^ they can be very easily led ; and undoubtedly one of the most powerful in- fluences which their employer can bring to bear upon them, is to be found in a command of their national form of speech, to which (as to all else tliat is national or clannish) they are very strongly attached. Few things are more pleasing than to see the flush of real pleasure and intelligence which passes over the dull, heavy, expressionless- features of the Kachari's countenance on being addressed in his own mother tongue. And if one of the highest forms of human pleasure consists in giving innocent pleasure ta others^ any European, whose life's work has to be done in Assam, and who will take the trouble to acquire some knowledge of this form of non -Aryan speech, will rarely be at a loss to make this pleasure his own. The limited extent to which this language and its cooinate tono'ues have been hitherto studied^ Wide range of Kacliari o cd t family of languages. '^ ^^iQ morc to bc rcgrcttcd, as there is great reason to believe that it was at one time widely spoken over a great portion of the Brahmaputra Yalley, as- well as in the adjoining districts of north-east Bengal. Much light is thrown on this subject by the hiformation given in the "Report on the Census of Assam for 1881," i)ages- 67 — 82. We find it there stated that the race knoAvn ta iv OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR, US under various names (Bodo, Garo, &c.) constitutes at least one-third of the population of the Assam Valley; and this statement is probably well within the mark. The Deori Chutias, who are found so far east as Sadiya, are said to speak a language closely akin to Kachari, though no Out- line Grammar of their speech has hitherto been published. Mr. Lyall {see "Census Report," pages 78—81) gives reason for suspecting that the Mikirs may be an outlying branch of the great Bodo family, though this must perhaps be still re- garded as an open question. iVnd there is reason to think that the Kacharis were at one time the dominant race, or at least one of the dominant races, in the Brahmaputra Valley; and as such they seem to have left traces of their language in the names of some of the most prominent physical features of the country. Thus the names of many of the principal rivers of Assam begin with the syllable, " Di," which is perhaps the Kachdri word ("dm," " di ") for "water," e.g., Di-hong, Di- bong, Di-bru, Di-hing, Di-sang, Di-khu, Di-soi, Di-ju, Di- mu, Di^mangal, Di-krang, Di-kurai, Di-put4, Di-md gasum ("black water"), Di-ang, &c., ((/. Dimdpur— Duimapiir, i.e,y River-town, the old Kachari capital on the Dhansiri River). But however this may be, the evidence of language points clearly to the conclusion that the peoples known to us as Kacharis (Boro, Bodo, Bfxra), Mcch, Hojai, Hojang, Garos, Dhimdls, &c., are one and the same race, and still speak what is essentially the same form of non-Aryan speech. To these must be added tlie Koch, Rajbansis, Mahalia, Phulgo- rias, Rubhds, and others, most of whom have lost the use of their old mother tongue, and have to a greater or less PKEFACE. V dco'rce fallen under the influence of Hinduism. A hurried o examination of the "Specimens of the Languages of India" (published at the Bengal Secretariat Press, 1874), pages 186—217, has led me to the conclusion that even the lan- guage there described as " Hill Tipperd" has very much in common with the Kachari of Darrang, and may indeed be regarded as virtually the same form of speech. (Some evi- dence pointing in this direction is given in a short list of words and inflections on a later page). This, if it can be established, is interesting, as it would prove that the Ka- chari race extends so far to the south and west as to cross the Surma Yalley — so that this language would seem to be still a living tongue for people so widely scattered as the Deori Chutias near Sadiya and the dwellers on the Tippera Hills of Eastern Bengal. In Western Darrang, North Kamiiip, and Goalpara, and in the Daar country stretching away from near Tezpur towards Jalpaiguri and Darjding, the Kacharis ander varioiis names form the great bulk of the population ; and it is possible that they may be akin to many of the races occupying the hills to the south of the Surma Valley, though it is not easy to speak with any kind of authority on this part of the subject until we have Outline Grammars, or at least full Vocabularies and typical sentences illustrating the languages of these last-mentioned races, so as to furnish the means of making a comparison be- tween these various forms of speech. This people, who once occupied so large a portion of North-East India, and who still constitute Various names. at least one -third of the population of Vi OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. the Brahmaputra Valley, are known to us vaguely as KacliAris, but they rarely, it ever, use this name among themselves. In AVestern Darrang and ISTorth Kamriip, they they very commolily speak of themselves as "Bara" (Baday Boro, Bodo) or " Bara fisa " ( = " children of the Bara"), and this title seems to be largely used by them in North-East Bengal. In Goalpdra they are commonly known as Mech (Mes) — a designation I have never known applied to them in this district. In all likelihood this name was given to them in contempt by their Hindu neighbours — (" Mlech," *'Mlechchha"=outcast, barbarian, &c.) At the foot of the Garo Hills they are known as liojai and Hajong, — a name probably equivalent to "hillmen" (" Haju; hazu "=hill, in Kachdri; '' achu," in Gdro; "hacliuk," in Hill Tippera). In Naugtion, where also Hojai Kacharis are found, a local name, " Lalung," is commonly used — a term of wholly un- known etymology. From information obligingly' placed at my disposal by the officer in charge of tlie ^N'orth Kacliar Hills (Mr. Soppitt), it would seem that the Kacharis of that part speak of themselves as " Diiimii-sa," i,e.^ " the people of the great river" {cf. the name of the old Kachari centre on the Dhansiri, Duima-pur, — the toAvn on the big river, — Riverton); and with this may be con- nected another local name for Kachdris, i.e.^ " Dhimal " (DuinuU?) — a name never applied to them in this district. On the whole, putting togetlier two of the groups of names used by themselves ;-—(l) "Hojai" and "Hajong," i,e, "hillmen," and (2) " Duima-sd " and "Dhimal," i.e., "men of the big river," they would seem to look upon them- PREFACE. Vll selves as '^men of the mountain and the flood," — as High- landers, in contra-distinction to the people of the j^l^^i^'*^- This theory would seem to be borne out by what we see now; for they are still found in large numbers in the neighbourhood of rivers^ e.(j., the Dhansiri, Kopili, &c., and the terai country lying at varying distances from the foot of the Jiills from near Tezpur towards Darjiling, which tract of country is abundantly watered by a vast number of small rivers (diii-sa). They still show also a distinct preference for high land as a dwelling-place; some members of this widely-spread race, e.g.^ Garos, the people of Hill Tippeni, Mikirs (?), &c,, actually live on the hills; whilst others, who have taken up their abode in the plains (Hojai, Hajong, the Kacharis of Darrang), live for the most part at no great distance from the hills ; and I have ob- served that wdierever high land is obtainable for building, the Kachari settler almost invariably fixes his dwelling there. The time has perhaps come when a definite attempt should be made to obtain more light than Suggestions. w^e now possess on the comparative eth- nology and linguistic affinities of the numerous tribes on this ISTorth-Eastern Frontier. Something was done in this direction by the publication of the " Specimens of Lan- guages of India," under the auspices of Sir G. Campbell some ten years since (1874). But the usefulness of this work for all the purposes of comparative philology, is very greatly marred by the numerous errors in spelling which disfigure its pages. It might be well perhaps to re-issue viil OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. this work after a thorough revision, the contributors all carefully using the same symbols on a system to be settled beforehand for representing the same, or similar, sounds; or, it should surely be possible, for a competent body of philologists to draw up a list of Avords and in- flections and typical sentences, so contrived and arranged as to bring to the front in bold relief the more salient features of the different languages concerned. But, above all, the compilation of Outline Grammars of the diiferent lan- guages should be systematically encouraged. Such Gram- mars, however rudimentary and incomplete they might be, could hardly fail to throw much light on various difficult questions of comparative philology, if they included (as they should do) a careful treatment of words in every-day use, the inflections of nouns, the conjugation of verbs, — this latter part of speech (the verb) being treated with especial clearness and fulness in its diiferent forms; e.g.^ the Active, Passive, Negative, Causative, Inceptive, and Completive forms. Compound verbs especially should receive particular attention, as helping to throw light on the genius of each language and its system of word- building. No less an authority than Professor Max Miiller has told us that it is to the injlectional part of a language (its declension of nouns, conjugation of verbs, &c., &c.), rather than to its vocabulary^ that we should look, if we would get any true insight into its real character and its relation to other forms of speech ; and therefore, while lists of words carefully written down on a pre-arranged system have an undoubted value of their own, it is still more important that the PREFACE. IX Accidence and Syntactical conditions of a language should receive close attention and be prominently brought to the front if the Ethnology and Comparative Philology of this part of India are to have thrown upon them the light of which they stand so greatly in need. I speak of 'Hhis part of India " in particular, because Assam, with its im- mense variety of languages, offers an especially wide and rich field to the philological student — a field which has yielded some valuable results already, though it has never yet been at all adequately cultivated. A tea -planter of somewhat sarcastic temperament once remarked in the writer's presence that the " Tower of Babel must have been somewhere within the limits of Assam." This assertion is perhaps hardly to be defended on historical or geographical grounds; but whoever has listened — perhaps without being much edified thereby — to the medley of tongues spoken at an Assamese Mela, or even on a large tea-factory, will not be slow to admit that the planter's remark was not entirely without some show of justification. But this very medley of tongues, which puts great difficulties at once in the path of the Magistrate, the Missionary, the Administrator, and the Planter, offers a promising field of labour to the student of language, whose privilege it may be to evolve something like order and harmony out of what has hitherto been little better than a philological chaos. The demands made upon him by the duties of a busy life, involving frequent absence from head -quarters, as well as a regard for his Ordination Vows, not to mention other reasons, will prevent the present writer from giving much time and labour to researches of h X OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. this kind; but to those who have the leisure, the abilii^^, and the will for the work, the field is one full of promise. For the better we understand the languages of these simple peoples, the better we shall understand the people them- selves — their hopes, fears, wishes, aspirations, and all that helps to make up the sum of their simple lives from day to day; the better, too, we shall understand and value the many virtues (honesty, truthfulness, simplicity, straight- forwardness, &c.), which, in spite of a rough, uninviting exterior, many of these tribes do undoubtedly possess ; the greater, too, will be our power of sympathizing with them, and so of lifting them up to a sense of the higher and better things we ourselves enjoy, and ought to be anxious to see them share with us, S. ENDLE. Camp Bengbari, Darrang, 24th May 1884, In the following pages the student is not to expect absolute uniformity in the use of accents and other dia- critical marks, or even in the spelling of words. Many discrepancies and inconsistencies in this respect will doubtless be found ; and of these some are, of course, due to careless- ness or oversight on the writer's part; but there are others which are not unintentional. The fact is that, with our present knowledge of the language, the exact pronunciation, and even the correct spelling, of certain words, cannot be fixed with certainty. This is true even of words in com- mon, every-day use, e.g,, the word for " good. " The usual form of this word in Kachdri is "gaham;" but it some- times appears as "gaham," "gaham," ^'gham," or even as PEEFACE. XI *4iam" (the first syllable being elided.) There are also curious dialectic differences in localities within a few miles of each other; thus, the common words for "cow" and "tiger" here (Bengbari) are "mosaii" and "mos^:" whilst at Sdmabdri and Mangalbasd, some fifteen or twenty miles to the south, these words appear as "mokhaii" and "mokhd," the medial sibilant letter being replaced by a guttural aspirate* These are but examples of variations and dialectic differences which undoubtedly exist on a large scale; and with our present limited knowledge of Kachari and its cognate languages, it is hardly possible to decide which form of any given word of this class should be adopted as the standard for future use. So long, therefore, as the true sound and correct spelling of words of this class remains nncertain and undefined, it seems only reasonable that the method of representing these words on paper should share in this uncertainty and indefiniteness, though it may be hoped that the time will come when a closer study and a more accurate knowledge of this and the cognate languages will enable us to get rid of much of this uncertainty. The inconsistencies in the use of accents, spelling, &c., will no doubt appear sufficiently unpleasing to the scientific eye and the critical mind; but they will nevertheless fulfil a not unimportant end of their own, i.e.^ they will help to guard the learner against supposing that he is always to hear exactly the same sound for the same word from the lips of people with whom he may attempt to hold converse. There is, however, one class of words with regard to which the writer has endeavoured to be as accurate as possible— those Xll OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. words where the misplacement of an accent would alto- gether alter the meaning ; e.g.^ " gathaii " is " deep/' but " gathdu " is " sweet /' "gi-a" is the negative form of the verb "gi-nu," to fear (fears not), but "gui-d" is the negative substantive verb, is not (are not.) In dealing with words of this class some pains have been taken to secure accuracy in the use of the accents, &c. ; and the writer ventures to hope that instances of their incorrect use in words of this character will be found to be but few and far between. — S. E. The compiler veiy gladly takes this opportunity of expressing Ijis deep sense of obligation to the officer in charge of the Secretariat Press for the neat- ness and accuracy with which the work of printing this pamphlet has been carried out. When it is remembered that the MS. was put together in a most hurried and imperfect way, and that much of the written matter deals with a language (Kach^ri) of w-hich presumably those in charge of the Press knew little or nothing, it is a matter of surprise and thankfulness that the mistakes and misprints are so few and unimportant. That this result has been brought about so satisfactorily, in spite of difficulties arising from the free use of accents and various diacritical marks, reflects great credit on all concerned In the printing of the work, and to them the writer here thankfully records his obligations for their painstaking care and forethought.— S. E. NOTE ON THE RELATION OF THE KACHARI (BARA) LANGUAGE TO THAT ^GF' HILL TIPPERA- .,..r; ;..-K; In the foregoing Preface it is pointed out that the Kachari language has much in common with that of Hill Tippera, so much so that the two forms of speech may perhaps be regarded as simply different dialects of what is essentially the same language. It is probable that much intercourse at one time took place between the Kacharis of the Upper Dhansiri Valley (Diiimapur) and the people of Hill Tippera, and we know that the ruling families of the two peoples were closely related in blood. Indeed, the use of the term "Kachari," as applied to the Bara race by their Hindu neighbours, is commonly believed to have originated in the fact that the Raja of Hill Tippera, when giving his daughter in marriage to the Kachari Raja of Duimapur, gave as her dowry what is now the district of Kachar, which had hitherto been a part of his dominions, the Bara race thenceforth being known to their Hindu and Massal- man neighbours by the name of the Province (Kachar) over which their Rdja was known to rule. But however this may be, there can be little doubt that the two languages stand in very close relation to each other, and as this rela- tionship seems not to have been prominently brought to the front hitherto, a short list of words in every -day use is here given in Kachari and Hill Tippera, from which it will appear that many points of resemblance undoubtedly exist, which hardly admit of being explained away as merely accidental. In some cases the Garo equivalent of a word or phrase is also given, as this is one of the most important members of the Kachari family of languages, and 11 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. the Gdro word sometimes apparently forms a link between the Kachdri of tliis district (Darrang) and the language of Hill Xipp^ra. : r ' " . '' • o " t ■ . ''M^n(jltsk. »/ ' Kachdri. Gdro. Bill Tipperd. One . • • Se* (sLii) ... Sa (sha*; Kai-chha.* Two ^ ... N^ (nui) ... Gni . ... Kii-niii. ^Three ... Thani ... AGitham Ka-tham. Four .ft Bre (brui) ... Bri Buriii. Five ... Bd ... Banga Ba. Six ... Ra (da) ... Dak Dok. Seven ... Sni (sinf*) ... Sni* Chhini.* Eight ... Za£* ' ... Chet* Chdt.*- . Nine ... Skho* ... Skhu* Chiku.* Ten ... Zi (zu*) •... Chi (chikhung*) Chi.* Foot ... Apha ... Jdfa Yak-phd. Eye ... Megan ... Mikran Makoy. Mouth ... Khuga ... Khusuk Khiik. Hair I ... Khenai ... Khini (khni) ... Khanai. Head ... Kh^ra ... Skho Khorok, Tongue/ ... Silai ... Slai Chhelai. Back * Bikhung Ada Phikhung. Ata. Brother (elder) ... Ada Child ... Fisa ... Bisa Chha. Son Fisa-zala (child- Chha-jald (child-male.) KJvil male.) I «• The resemblance in these and Hke words is much closer than appears at first sight ; for the Kachdris of Darrang, whose vocabulary is here written out phonetically, find a difficulty in uttering the sounds "cha" (chha) and "ja" (jha), and substitute for them the sibilants " s " and " z." Hence Kachdri words and syllables beginning with " s " and " j " would perhaps be more correctly spelt with "ch" (chha) and "ja" (jha)— a change which would make them much more closely resemble the corresponding words in Gdro and Hill Tipperd. The principle embodied in this remark holds good throughout the entire pamphlet and should always be borne in mind whenever it may be consulted for the purposes of Comparative Philology and Ethnology. RELATION OF KACHARI TO HILL TIPPERA LANGUAGE. Ill English, Kachdri, Gdro, Bill Tipperd, Daughter • «• Fisd-zu (child- Bisa-mechik Chha-juk female.) (child-female.) (child-female.) God /I spirit Modai ... Mite ... Matai. {hhuty / Sun 'San ... Sal ... Sal. Star.\ Hathorkhi Athukuri. Fire/, At Hor. Water Dui ... Chi ... Tiii. • House-' Nu ... Nak ... Nok. Cow -' Masaii ... .Machu ... Masu. Doer Sriima Suima. Bird Dau ... Dau ... Tao-sa. Hill, mountain Hazu ... Achu ... Hachuk. ~ Tree Bangfang ... Balma (ban) ... Bufang. Go Thang Za Thano-di. "^Eat ." Cha ... c;ha. Come Fai ... Iba ... Fai. Beat Bu ... Dak ... Bu. Die Thoi ..• Thang-za ... Thoi. Behind Unau Ulo (uno.) To-mana. Why Manti ... Manu ... I • • . Ang ... Ang-d ... Ang. Of me, mine... Ang-ni ... Ang-ni ... A-ni. To me Ang-nii ... Ang-na ... A-na. Me Ang-kho ... Ang-kho • 0* (Ana ?) A¥e Zang ... Chinga ... Chung. Of us, our Zang-ni ... Ching-ni ... Chi-ni. You (thou) Nang ... Ma ... Niing. Of you (yours) Nang-ni ... Nang-ni ... Ni-ni. He ... Bf ... Ua ... Bo. Of him ■ •• Bi-ni • • . Ua-ni . • . Bi-ni. A good man... Of, &c., &c. ... To, &c., (fee. ... A bad boy ... Mansuf gaham Manda nama ... Borok kaham. iii j^[ jj-^ . nil na ■- na. Sase fisa hama Shaksa namjd. bisa Batsa hamya. IV OUTLINE KACIIARI GRAMMAR. English Kuchdri, Gdro • Hill Tippercl T mn Anff ^ Anff ) J. (llll ... Thou art Nang tef Niing Bo JLl.X\J SJL CXX \J • • • He is -dang-a .. .tong-o We are ••• Zangfur .. Chun2[ I /' ^ (ong). You are Nauiisur ^, Norok V O/' They are Beat to Bisur Borok Bu Dak Bu. To beat Bu-nii Dak-nd ... Bu-nani. Beating Having beaten T Sjo heat ... Bu-ni (bu-ui)... Bu-na— noi ..« Bu-oi. Bu-kha Ang, &c., bu-iu Ang bu-zai-u ... Ang bu-isa-gan Ang, &c., bu-yo. Aug bu jak-o. Ang bu ja- kan-o. [yo. T niYi hpaten... T shall be beaten. I, &c., go ... Ang thang-u ... • • Ang, (fec.jthang- Go Thang Thang-ni (thang- ui.) Thanicr-o Going Thangoi. What is your Nang-ni naoa Nang-ni mang Ni-ni mung to- name ? ma? mai ? md? Give this rupee Be thakha bi-nu Ua thdng la-kho Obana ba rdng to him. hu. ua-na an -bo. ha rudi. Walk before me Ang-ni sigdngau Ang-ni mokhang A-ni sdkdngo thk-bai-lang. ha amih. him-di. Whoso boy Nang-ni unau Nang-ni jamano Ni-ni uno sd- comes behind sur-ni fisa-zla shao-ni bisha ba-ni batsa fai ? you ? faidang ? rebaenga ? From whom did Nang sur-ni-frai Nang sa- anikho Nang sdbd-ni- you buy (boi-kho) bai- brebaha r > thani pai-kha ? (that) ? nai ? From a shop- Gami dukani- Chang-ni du- Bdri dukdni- keeper of the ni-frai. kani-onikho. thdni. village. The boy (is) Fisa ziila ham-a Bishti nam-ja.». Chha jald ham- bad. yd. Literalhj ... Child-male good- Child go od-not Child-male not (is). (is.) good-not (is). J RELATION OF KACHAKI TO HILL TIPPP:RA LANGUAGE. V A close examination of some of the phrases and sen- tences above given will show that the process of word- building is exactly alike in Kachdri and Hill Tippera. Thus, in both languages, the word for " boy " is really a eompoimd wordj "fisd" (K.) and "chha" (H. T.), meaning simply a "child,'' while the following word, " zala " (K.) or "jala" (H. T,) is a kind of adjective,=masculine, male ; so that the whole compound denotes in both lan- guages alike, a "male child," a "boy." So again the word for " bad" is in both languages a negative term=" not -good." The radical part of the word in each language is "ham;" this root, with certain prefixes, " ga" (K.) and "ka" (H. T.), means "good ;" but by dropping these prefixes, and attaching certain affixes — "(£" (K,) and "ya" (H, T.) — we get an exactly opposite meaning, " good-not "=bad, — the method of word-building, and of making the same root express these opposite meanings, being exactly the same in both languages. It is highly probable that a closer study of the languages in use among the tribes inhabiting the hills to the south of the Surmd Valley, would reveal many other points of resemblance with the Kachari of the Brahmaputra Valley ; so that there seems reason to believe that this form of non- Aryan speech (Kachdri) was at one time, under slightly difi'erent forms, very widely used over the valley of Assam and the adjacent districts of North- East Bengal.— S. E. Tezpur, the 12tli June 1884. % HILLS KACHARI COMPARED WITH THAT SPOKEN IN THE PLAINS. From what is at present known — and our knowledge is scanty enough — it would seem that the Kachdri language as spoken in North-East Bengal and the Kachari Duars of the Goalpdra, Kamriip, and Darrang Districts in the Valley of Assam, is substantially the same as that in use in the North Kachdr Hills, — at Gonjong, Maibong, Asalu, &c. There are indeed many striking points of difference; and in some cases words in common use in everyday life {e.g,^ man, woman, boy, goat, &c.) seem to have little or no etymological relation to each other as used respectively in the Valley and in the Hills. But on the whole, so far as the materials at present available for comparing the two forms of speech enable us to come to any definite conclusion as to the relation between them, it certainly seems that the points in which they agree far exceed both in number and importance those in which they differ ; so that we shall probably not be far wrong in coming to the conclusion that the Kachari of the Hills and that of the Assam Valley are but different forms of what is at bottom essentially the same national language. A short Vocabulary, with some illustrations of the infiections in use in these two forms of speech, is given below, with a few typical sentences and some brief notes, &c. ; and by carefully observing and weighing this list of words, sentences, &c., the student will be able at once to compare and to contrast the Kachdri of the Plains with that spoken in the Hills, and thus form his own conclusion as to the relation existing between them. ii OUTLINE KACHAIII GRAMMAR, /^^/^ L-^VOCABULARY. English, Plains Kachdri (^Darrang). Hills Kachdri, One ... Se ... She (si). Two ... Ne (gnQ ... Gini (gni). Three ... Th^ni (gatham) ... Gatham (tham) Four ..» Brui ... Bin'. Five ... Ba ... Bunga. Six ... Da (ra) ►.. Da. Beveii ... Sni (sim) ... Sim'. Eight ».. Zat (jat) ... Jai Nine ... Skho (sikho) ... Shugu. Ten ... Zi (ji) ... Ji. I ... Aug ... Aug.. We ... Zang (Jang) ... Jang (jing). Thou ... Nang ... Nu (nung). You ... Nang-sur ... Nu-shi (ni-shi) He ... Bi ... Bwa. They ... Bi-sur ... Bwa-nishi. This ... Be ... Eb. Tliose ... Be-sur ... Eb-nishi. That ... Boi ... Bwa. Those ... Boi-sur ... Bwa-nishi. Who ... Sur (sar) ... Shor. Uiee (dlu'in) . • . Mai • •• Mai. (chaul) ... Mairang ... Mairang. (bluit) ... Mildiani ... Makliam. Man ... Mansui ... Shubung. Woman ... Hingzhdu ... Mashaingjwu. Child ... Fisa ... Aneha. House ... Nu ... Na. Fire ... At ... Oai. Air ... Bar ... Bar. Ea.-th ... lU ... Ha. Water ... Duf ... Di. ilead ... Khiira ... Khra. Hair ... Khenai ... Khanai. Eye ... Megan (mfgan) ... Mu. COMPARISON or HILLS WITH PLAINS KACIIARl, 'LA 111 English. Plains Kachdri. IliU .S' KacJidri. Ear . ,, Khama ... Kamau. V Nose ... Gangthang ... Gung. Month ... Khuga ... Mukhang. Neck ... Gada ... Gada. Hand/ ... Akhai ... lau. Body ... Madam ... Chau. Bloods ... Thoi ... Twf. Fish/\ ,.. Na (gna) ... Nwa. V (^o^Y ... ^Mosau ... jMusu. Goat ... Burma ... Briina. Snake ... Zibau (jibaii) ... Jhubu. Bird ... Dau ... Ddu. Cock ..* Dau-zla ... Dau-na. Hen • •* Dau-zu ... Dau-ma. V ^gg ... Dau-dui (" water.") fowl's Dau-di (" fowl's i water") .Tiger ... Mosa ... Misi. Sheep ... Menda ... Mend. ^Earthquake ... Banggri ... Banggla. Rain ... Nakha (akhd) ... Hadi. Madh (rice-beer) ... Zaii (jau) ... Ju. (To) eat • > . Za (ja) ... Ji. — drink ... Lang ... Lung. — sleep ... Udu ... Thu. — walk ... Thabai ... Daubai. — run y ... Khat ... Khai. — sit ... Za (ja) ... Kham. , — laugh .#. Mini (mni) ... Mini (mni). — weep ... Gab ... Gra. — jump ... Bat ... Baitlum. — come • •• Fai ... Fai. ^— go ... Thang ... Thdng. — cook ... Sang ... Sang. ^ — bring ... Labo ... Labu. — take ... Lang ... Lang. — give ... Hu ... Ri. — give back • • . Hu-fafiu . • . Fini-ri. iv OUTLINE KACIIARI GRAMMAR. II.-GRAMMAR (ACCIDENCE, INFLECTIONS, &c.) 1. — Nouns (declension). KacMri. English. Plains. Hills. SiNGULAE. JSlom. — Oma (omai-d)* Hono ••• a pig. Ohj. — Oma-kho Hono-khof ... a pig. Instr. — Oma-zang (Jang) ... Hono-jang ... by (with) a pig, Dat. — Oma-nu Hono-ne ... to j> All. — Oma-ni- frai Hono-ni-frang • •• from J) Poss. — Oma-ni Hono-ni ... of » Log. — Omai-aii Hono-ha ... in » Voc. — Heloi oma! Hoko-hono ! Plural. ... pig ! Nom. — Oma-fur (far; fra)... Hono- ran ... pigs. 0 Jadi ang nii-re. ^''S jnii-bla '"V Jadi ang nu-kade. Niii ... Nnhi. Nu-nanoi ... Nuhi-dada. Nu-nu Niihi-ma. (b). — Passive Voice {used sparingly in both forms of speed i). I am seen I was seen I shall be seen I can be seen I could be seen If I am seen Ang nimai zaaT-ii . . . Ang nu jau-du. Ang nunai zaa-bai ... Ang nu jau-kha. Ang nunai zaa-gan ... Ang nu jau-nang. zaa-nu lia- Ang nu jau pure. Ang nunai zaa-nii ha-bai Ang nu jau pure-mu. Ang nunai zda-ba ... Jadi ang nu jau- re. I see not I saw not I shall not see See not Let him not see (c) — Negative Vei^h. Ang nu-a Angnu-a-khui Ang nu-a Da nu Da nu-thang Aug nai-a. Ang nai-a-ba. Ang nai-a-nang. Da nai. Ba-kho da pu-nu. I show 1 showed I shall show Let him show I can show I could show If I show (c?) — Causative Verb, Ang nu-hui-u Ang nu-hu-bai An or nu-hu-o-an Bi nu-hu"thang Ang nu-hu-nu ha-gaii Ang nu-hii-nu ha-bai . . . Ang nu-hu-ba Ang pu-nu. Ang pu-nu- f ba. tkha. Ang pu-nu-nang. Ba-kho pu-numd-ri. Ang pu-nu pure. Ang pu-nu pure-mu, Jadi dng pu-nu- re. VI OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. o H w W o w EH < Q 5Z5 O H CO H P5 H EH < H CO P CO ■fl! 'bjD o T t^ ■4-3 bjj: I -c3 bC m bc ^<1 ic ^ s « bCg -^ Ph s-2 -4-3 I %-i. • -c3 JQ S bX) )3 ,- ^ in I o -C3 ^ <;>> ^ OS 1 bC 0) 1 P- *bb XI f c^ -yj iZ' rt ' d C ^2 ^^ o o I bC ^<1 bO bJC tdo ca S O ^ rn c3 F3 I cc 02 bJD c •I— jccS pi fl -o3 r^ bJD^ I his dog \ (;ira J uloes not b:te. Here the distinction between the two vowel sounds "li" and " a " indicat3s all the wide difference between an affirmat'.V3 and a negative proposition. B , OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. ;;.>;0'i' ■ •*• ••' 1.— VOWELS. a — unaccented, always sliort, as in " compmiv," '' America "; e.g., " Ban," firewood. This sound is somewhat more abrupt and exj^losive than in English, especially when fmal. li — long, as in " fother "; e.g., " Thang," go. This sound is sometimes drawn out and prolonged, — a modification which may be represented by " aa "; e.g. — " Za-nii," to eat. ^' Zaa-nu," to be, become. a— sharp, short sound, as in " pan " ; e.g., " Gadan," new. a — broad sound, as in " call," or like " o " in ^' c?rder,'' "for"; e.g., " Gatha," a child. e— unaccented, as in " b^d," " thm"; e.g., " Gadet," great, e— as " eij " in " th^?/ "; e.g., '' Megan," eye. e— an intermediate sound between the two former; e.g., "Pjcse," how many? how mucli? i — unmarked, sliort, as in "pm"; e.g., '' Ling," call. 1— long, as in "marme"; e.g., ''Bi," he. o — unmarked, short, as in " stq3 "; e.g., " Mosa," a tiger. o — long, as in "bMie"; e.g., "Klio" (sign of ol)jective case). This sound " o" is occasionally thickened and strengthened so as to approximate to the sound of " au " (see below), with which indeed it seems at times to be interchangeable. In such cases what seems to be the more correct sound is given first, tlie less usual sound I being represented by appending " au " in parentheses ; ^..r/.,^"Kli6" (khaii). u — short, as in "pz/11." u — long, as in " pool "; e.g., " Biinu," to beat. VOWELS, ti=5^_This is a sound difficult to describe. It bears some resemblance to the (a) given above, but is much more compressed. In uttering it the cheeks are drawn in close to the jaws, the lips but slightly apart, and the tongue placed near the outer edge of the hard .palate, the breath being allowed to escape slowly between the two latter organs with a semi-nasal intonation. At the end of a w^ord this sound has something in common with the hisarga in Bengali ; e.g.^ " Bunu," to drag, pull. au— as '' ow " in " \\ow "; e.g., " Grdau," long. aii— approximates to 6; e.g.^ '' Gathaii," deep. (See "6" above). au — in uttering this diphthong the voice dwells on the "a" sound, the unaccented " u " serving merely to modify the whole sound in the direction of " ow "; e.g., '' Gakhau," bitter. The distinction between these two sounds, which it is not always easy for the ear to catch, is sometimes of practical importance ; e.g. — " Be dui-a^ ^.^, , Vna?" \ Is this water < \ IgathauJ } Uweet ? ai, as '4" in " wme," ''shme"; e.g., "Mai," rice (paddy). Ill— this is a a peculiar sound, which seems to fluctuate between " oi " (pronounced very short) and "i." It is apparently made up of the " li " sound above described and " i," the voice ghding rapidly over the former vowel and dwelling on the latter, the whole sound approximat- ing to " 1." Occasionally the sounds of both vowels are separately heard, though not perhaps with such distinct- ness as to call for the use of the dioeresis ; e.g., '' Diiima," a river ; " Suima," a dog. oi, as " oi " in " hoil "; e .g., " Thoinu,'^ to die. * The sound intended to be denoted by this symbol would be more correctly represented by short o, but this character was not available at thQ Secretariat Press. 4 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. 2.— CONSONANTS. Most of these, as before stated, are used as in English, and call for no particular description. But some are used to represent peculiar sounds or modifications of familiar sounds, and to designate these certain diacritical marks are necessary. c— not used ; its soft sound being represented by " s,". its hard sound by "k." The combinations " ch " and " chh " seem to be unknown in Kachari. d, dhl These letters are used much as in Assamese, the two (1, dhj former letters being properly dental sounds, the two latter, cerebral. Cerebral sounds seem to pre- dominate in the language, dental letters being used chiefly in words borrowed from the Sanscrit family; e.g.^ " Dharam " (dharmma) ; and even in these cases the Kacharis generally substitute a cerebral sound for a dental one, the distinction between dental and cerebral letters being but rarely observed. The cerebral " d " and " t " sometimes pass into " r " ; thus, the name by which Kacharis speak of them- selves may be written indifi'erently " Bani " or ^ ''•Bada." I f — as in English, but strongly aspirated, especially at the beginning of a word. g — always hard, as in '^^un"; e.g,^ '' Galau," long. h — as in English (simple aspirate) ; e.g.^ " Pliinii," to give. Sometimes this becomes a guttural aspirate, the two sounds being apparently interchangeable, and used without any obvious difference of meaning. n — this is the nasal sound (rare in Kachari) found in the Hindustani '^ men," &c. ; in French, " Te^zfont," &c. ng — this combination is very rarely found at the beginning of a word in Kachdri, but is not uncommon at the end of a word or syllable, in which, case it is pronounced CONSONANTS. 5 exactly like the ''ng " in ^^migmg^^: e.g.^ "A72^," I; " Tlian^," go. In tliese cases the '"g" sound always combines with the preceding nasal, and is not carried on to the next syllable ; e.g.^ '' Tluuz^-ii," (I) will not go. The nasal sounds (ammdsika) so common in Assamese, represented by the cliandra-hindu (""), seem not to be found in Kachari. p — as in English. ph — an aspirated p, something like the English '' ph " in " ujjAold," the sounds of the two letters, however, being not heard separately as in the English word, but combining into a single sound. r — with a broader, more rolling sound than in Euglish. r— sometimes interchanges with '' t " and " d" ; e.g. — '' Bi kliatdang," he is running. " Bi khani," he does not run. s — as in " this" ; e.g.^ " Eisa," a son child : often with a sharp semi-aspirated sound, especially when initiaL t, thl pronounced much as in Assamese, dental and cerebral, t, thj though this distinction often seems not to be strictly observed. The English sounds of " th " in " ^Ais " and '' ^Aing " are not found in Kachari. Y, w, y — as in English, tlie two latter always retaining their consonantal sound. z — as in Engiisli ; e.g.^ " Zanu," to cat. zh— like the French "j " in ''j'oli " : e.g., '' HingcAausa," a woman. In writing words borrovred from other languages {e.g., Assamese) tlie Kachtiris often cliange an unaspirated initial consonant into an aspirated one : thus, " Kal " (time) becomes "khar'j ''Kintu" (but), " khintu," &c. OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. 3,-^ACCENTS : THE DICERESIS, &c. In order to give some idea of the cadence of tlie language, two accents are ^nade use of, the single and the double. The single accent is used in short words, and is written •J in the form commonly called the acute accent (' ) ; e.g '' Tluing'nii," to go. In longer words we sometimes have two' accented syl- lables ; e.g.^ in the English word " in^deter'^minate," the main accent (^" ) lies on tlie third syllable, while at the same time a certain stress is laid on the first syllable, the voice seeming to rest on it to gain strength for the utterance of a long word. In such cases the main, or principal, accent is represented by the double mark ( '^ ), the secondary one by the single sign ( ^ ). Thus the above w^ord is written, " in'deter'^minate." This system is used in representing the cadence of Kachari words of several syllables : e.g.^ " Thang'-ni-au'''-nii " ( even while going), a participle from the root " Thang" (go) above given. Here the last syllable, " nii," is a kind of enclitic ; tlie main accent falling on the third syllable, and the secondary one on the first. The dioeresis is sometimes used over vowels to mark the beginning of a new syllable ; e.g. — "Gurul" (=gu-ru'-i), soft. The hyphen is occasionally used in cases where confusion or doubt might arise from its absence; as, "Nu-au," in a house. As it is undesirable to multiply diacritical marks need- lessly, such symbols as the dioeresis, hyphen, c^c, are used only very sparingly, and each diphthong and vowel must be supposed to have its full phonetic value, even when not separated by the hyphen, &c. : e.g.^ " Oa " (bamboo) might be otherwise written "owa," " oya," " o-a," &c.; so, '' Faid " (comes not) might be written " fai-a," &c. No consonant is ever GENERAL IIULES RELATING TO ACCENT, ETC. < needlessly doubled, and every such letter must be allowed its full force ; e.g,^ "Tlianggan" (will go)=" tliang-gan," &c. The symbol ^ ) over a letter denotes that it is to be pro- nounced as shortly as possible. It is used especially in the case of adjectives, many of which begin with the syllable " Ga " : e,g.^ " GazaV red ; " GafiitV white, &c. Here the first syllable is ?;(?r!/ short, and the words might almost be written, ^'gza," " gfiit," &c., the vowel in the first syllable being omitted altogether. General Rules relating to Accent, &c. 1. — The accented syllable is indicated by the acute ( ^ ). 2. — In words where no syllabic accent is used the stress of the voice always rests on the first syllable of a word ; ^.^., " Faidang " = "fai^dang"; " Faidangman " = " fai^dangman," &c. This rule holds good even in words where the second (or later) syllable of a word contains a long vowel whilst the first syllable has only a short one, accent being to some extent independent of the quantity of vowel sounds ; e.g.^ "Mosa" (tiger) = " mo'sa," &c. Exception. — In adjectives beginning with "ga" the second syllable is almost always the accented one; e.g.^ "Gaza" (red) = "gaza^" 3. — In words of more than two syllables the accent, as a general rule, rests on the last syllable but one (penul- timate). 4. — I^ouns in declension — A noun which in its simplest form takes the accent on its first syllable sometimes transfers it to its second when the case endings are appended ; ^.y.,'" Mo'sd," a tiger; "Mosani," of a tiger, &c. 8 OUTLINE KACIIARI GRAMMAE. 5. — Verbs for the most part retain their original accent (first s}41able) throughout their conj agation ; but in compound verbs, the second member of the compound usually'takes the accent; e.g. — ( r-^ . , f khat^-bai," ") rn i f ran. 4'borai-u< / , ' . >ihehorse< t khat-hing -bai,"j { ran away. In verbal roots of more than one syllable, the accent almost always falls on tlie second syllable : e.g.., " Ga-glai-nii " (tofall) = "ga-glai'-nu"; "ge-le-nu" (to play) = "ge-le'-niV &c. Enclitics — "nu," (no,) "sui," (^' sol,") — cause the accent to rest on the syllable immediately preceding them ; e.y. — uT>' f a'a-<^lai^-nai " "^ . ^ i, I, ga-ghai-nai -siif "j N. B. — A certain hcence soems to be allowed in tlie sp3lHng and pronoinicing of some words. Thus, the word for ^' great," in its usual form " GadatY' niay bo written and pronounced, '^ GadadY' '' GadedY' '•' GadetV '' GaditV " GadidV &c. ; while in relation to other words, e.g , Avlien in the superlative degree or when combined with a verb, the first syllable may be suppressed altogether ; as — " Boinusari detsina " (for '' Gadet^sina "), the greatest of all. PART II.-ACCIDENCE. In dealing with the accidence of the Kachari language, it will be convenient to speak of it under six heads : — 1, Xouns ; 2, Adjectives ; 3, Pronouns ; 4, A'erbs ; 5, Adverbs ; and G, other indeclinable words, — Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections. L_NOUNS. 1. — Gkxder. A. — Kouns denoting inanimate objects have no formal dii tinction of gender, as, " Nii," a house; " Mai," rice (paddy). NOUNS. 9 B. — Nouns denoting animate objects have their gender distinguished by a qualifying word placed after the noun whose gender it indicates. These words vary as applied to distinct classes of objects. Some of those in common use are the following : — (a) " Hoa," man (male) ; " Hingzhdu," woman (female). These words are applied exclusively to human beings. {h) 'Goats, deer, &c. — " Fantha," " fanthi," are the terms used ; e.g., stag, " Mai fanthd "; hind, " Mai fanthi." (c) Hogs, &c.— "Bdndd," ''biindi." Boar, " Oma biinda "; sow, " Omd biindi." {d) Birds, &c.— "Zalii," " zu." Cock, '' Dau zald "; hen, " Ddu zu." {e) Elephants.---'' Mdkhundd," "mdkhiindi," &c. Of these qualifjing words indicating gender, it will be observed that — (a) They generally, if not invariably, follow the word they qualify ; and {b) Tiie final vowel is " a " when they denote the masculine gender, and "i " when they designate the feminine. 2. — Number. Onl}^ two numbers are recognised. Singular and Plural. The Singular is indicated simply by the name of the object; as, " Mansui," a man. Tliis is sometimes made more emj^hatic by the addition of a word meaning one; c.g.^ "Mansui sase fiiibai," one man (and one ov^j) came. The Plural is denoted by the termination "fur," for which the syllables "fra" and "far" are sometimes substituted, espe- cially in the oblique cases, without any obvious difference of meaning, e.g. : — " Mansui," a man. " Mansui-fiir," men. " Nuj" a house. " Nu-fur," houses. C Mansuifur-kho (khaii) Mansuifur-zang ... by ^ Mansuifur-nu ... to I Mansuifur-ni-frai ...from ^ f Mansiiifur-ni ... of iMansuifur-M ... of Mansiiifur-ni-au ... in Helui mansuifur >.. 0, 10 OUTLINE KACIIAHI GRAMMAR. The plural termination seems to be but rarely omitted, even in the case of nouns denoting inanimate objects. 3.— Case. The, folio wing form gives the various case-endings, which are applicable alike to all nouns and pronouns. For the sake of convenience, the noun in Kachdri is regarded as having eight cases, after the model of the noun in the Sanscrit family of languages ; i.e., Nominative, Objective, Instrumental, Dative, Ablative, Possessive, Locative, and Vocative : — • Singular. Plural, Nom. — M^nsui ... a n^ M^nsuifur-(far) ... \ O^y.— Mansui-kho (kliau) ... a Instr, — Mansui-zang ... by Dat. — Mansui-nii ... to Ahl. — Mansui-ni-frai ...from p rMansiii-ni ... of 1 Mansm-ha ... of Loc. — Mhnsui-(ni)-au ... in Voc, — Helui mansiii ... 0/ A. — The Possessive case has two signs, "ni" and *' hd." Of these the former is by far the more frequently used, the latter being restricted chiefly to nouns denoting animate life. B. — The Ablative case takes before its own termination, "frai," that of the Possessive case, '*ni"; " Ni-frai "=from (out) of, &c. C. — This holds good in some instances, though not in all, of the Locative case, "ni-/ui." Sometimes when the Nomi- native case ends in a vowel ^' a " or ^' d," the case-ending of the Locative is preceded by "i" forming a diphthong with the preceding vowel; c.g.^ " Nu + i + du," = " Niii-du," in a house. Thus the Locative case of "Nfi," a house, may be written in three ways— 1, "M-du"; 2, "Niii-du"; 3, " Nu-ni-du." The choice in the use of one or other of these forms seems to be determined largely by considerations of euphony and facility of utterance. ADJECTIVES, 11 D. — When the Nominative case ends in the vowel '' a " or '' d," an affix (d) is often appended to it in composition when it forms the subject of a sentence : the final vowel of the Nominative being then strengthened by the addition of the vowel "i," with which it forms the diphthong '' ai " (see note C). In such cases the affix (d) seems to liave something of the force of the definite article; e.g,^ " Ddu zald gasipdang," a cock is crowing ; " Dau zaMi-a gasipdang," the cock {i.e.^ the one I am now listening to) is crowing. • IL— ADJECTIA^ES. 4. — The adjective in Kachari is placed sometimes before, sometimes after, the noun it qualifies, without any very obvious difference of meaning, as — '' Gaham mansiii-kho ' (jraham mansui-kho) , . ,, -r •, , ,rr -/ ^^ ^ 1 1 A hnubai, 1 saw a good man. ' Mansui gaham-khoj From the sentence above given it will be observed that when an adjective follows a noun in an oblique case, the case- ending is attached to the adjective. Adjectives undergo no change of termination in order to agree in gender or number with the noun they qualify ; e.g, — " Gaham hodsa," a good man. '' Gaham hingzhausa," a good woman. 5. — Comparison. The comparative degree of adjectives is denoted by (1) affixing the word "sari" (or "khri"), equivalent to our ''than," to the word with which comparison is made ; and (2) by appending the syllable " sin " to the adjective ; as, — " Bi dng-nu-khri gazaii sin," he is taller than I. " Be niid boi bangfang-nu-sdri gazaii sin," this house is higher than that tree. 12 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. It will be observed that — (a) — The word "sari" or "khri" (=than) always takes the dative case before it; e.g.^ " Boi" (or "boi-bii"), all ; " Boi-nu-sari," than all. (h) — The syllable of comparison " sin," attached to the adjective, is sometimes omitted. (c) — The first syllable of the adjective is also occa- sionally omitted when comparison is made, e.g, — "Ang-nii khri zaii-sin " (for ''gazaii sin"), taller than I ("gazaii," tall). The Superlative degree is expressed much in the same way, the noun (always in the dative case) being preceded by some word signifying all : " Boinu-sdri bi gazaii' sin," he is taller than all, or the tallest of all. The same sense may be conveyed in a slightly different way, as, '' Boi-ni gezrau bi gazaii sina," in the midst of (among) all he is the tallest ; he is the tallest of all. 6. — Numeral Adjectives. The numerals up to ten are as follows: — One— Se(sm). Two — Ne (niii). Three—Thcam. Four — Bre (briii). Five~Bc4. Six — Ra (da). Seven — Sni (sim). > Eight— SkhO, -^ Nine— Z^t. Ten — Zii (zi). No single words to express numbers above ten seem to be in common use; but the peojile sometimes avail themselves of the Assamese word for '' score " — hwi^ which in the mouth of a Kachdri becomes '' khuri." There is also a useful word to express a group of four, z.^., " Za-khai" (= the Assamese "^^1). This word when followed by two numerals is to be 7nultiplied __ by the former, whilst the number represented by the latter is l| to be added to the result so obtained. In this way the Kachdris I jk ADJECTIVES. 13 can express in their own language numbers up to 40 or 43, '' Zakhai' tham (sa) tliam " = 4x3 + 3 = 15 (men). " Zakhai' zii (sa) ne " = 4 x 10 + 2 = 42 (men). In the above examples it will be observed that the latter numeral is preceded by the word, " sd." This indicates a pecu- liarity in the use of numerals in Kachari. When several objects are spoken of, the noun designating them is usually placed first, and the word denoting their number follows, this latter being preceded by a word, usually monosyllabic, which serves to qualify, or rather classify, the objects referred to. There are a number of such prefixes in common use, among the best known being the following. To designate — (a) — Human beings, " sa" is used (as above). Three men, " Mansiii sa-tham." Two boys, '' Gatha sa-ne. {h) — Irrational animals, '^ md." Four goats, "Burma md-bre." Five fowls, " Dau mdba." (c) — Fraits, rupees, and many round things, " thai." " Thakhd thai-ba," five rupees. " Thaizhu thai-bre," four mangoes. ((^) — Leaves (of trees or books), clothes, and various flat things, " gang." Three leaves, '' Bilai gang-tham." (^) — In some instances in words of two syllables, the latter part of the noun, or a word resembling it, is repeated before the numeral ; e.g. — " Bang-fang fang-tham," three trees. " Bidui dui-zu," ten eggs. The above are some of the most frequently used of these particles, though there are others the usage of wliich cannot apparently be brought under any rule at present known. These can be learnt only by frequent practice in hearing and speaking. 14 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. III.-PRONOUNS. Pronouns of five classes are found in Kacliari, — i.e.^ Personal, Relative, Interrogative, Demonstrative, and Adjective. 7.— Personal Pronouns. These are as follows — Singular, Plural. 1 — Ang ... I. Zang, or Zangfur (far) we. 2 — Nang ... thou. Nang-sur (nang-sar)... you. 3 — Bi ... he, she, it. Bi-sur (sar) (Bifar),.. they These are declined in the same way as nouns ; as — iVb?n.— Ang (anga) ... I. Zang (zang-fur ; fra ; far) we. Ohj.—kng-kho ... me. Zang-fur-kho ... us. Jnsfr.— Ang-zang ... by me. Zang-fur-zang ... by us. Dat. — Ang-nu ... to me. Zang-fiir-nu ... to us. All — Ang-ni-frai ... from me Zang-fur-ni-frai ... from us Po55.— Aiig-ni ) Ang-ha j ... of me. Zang-fur-ni ) Zang-fur-hd J ... of us. Loc. — Ang-ni-au ... in me. Zang-fur-ni-au ... in us. Voc. — Heliii ang ... Ome! In the oblique cases of the plural number the sjdlable ' (" fur " or " fra ") denoting number is sometimes omitted, and the case-sign affixed directly to the radical ; e.g., " Zang-ni," of us, instead of the full form, '' Zang-fur-ni." The declension of the pronouns of the second and third persons is perfectly regular. In their plural form, it will be observed that they often take the syllable " sur," instead of "fur,"or''frd." 11 The pronoun of the third person knows no distinction of gender, he, she, it, being alike expressed by '' bi." Possession is deA'oted simply by using the personal pronoun in the possessive case, as — " Be dng-ni burma," this is 7ny goat. pronouns. 15 8. — Kelative Pronouns. There seem to be no relative pronouns peculiar to the Kachari language, though "zi" and "zai," probably borrowed from their Hindii neighbours, are sometimes used; e^g.— " Zi mansiii-kho ang mia nu-dang-man, bi khat-lang-bai ;" The man I saw yesterday has run away. This would be more idiomatically expressed by the use of the particij)le and omission of the relative pronoun ; as — " Mia (niinai) mansiii-a khatlangbai ;" The man (seen) yesterday has run away. 9.— Interrogative Pronouns. These are — 1. — Sur (sar).. who ? Plural. 2.— Ma ...what? Md-fur. 3. — Babe ... which? (of several). These are declined like personal pronouns, but tlie first does not usually take the syllable ("fur") indicative of the plural number, when used to denote more than one. 10. — Demonstrative Pronouns. These are — \ that. Boi-sur (boi-fur) ... those, a J Be ... this. Be-sur (bc-fur) ... these. Boi Boi-h; Bf ... that (of ?Y??z6>/6' distance). These may be declined in the usual way. Of the two forms of the plural given above, " sur " is used chiefly of human beings, and "fur" of all other objects — irrational animalsj things, &c. 16 outline kaciiari grammar. 11. — Adjective Pronouns. Some of the most common of these are — As many ... Zesenil. Mdlai(ofmcn) ...| ^jj,^^._ / Gubim (of things).. J Zabra ... many. Gaigai (gagai) ... each, self. Siirba ... some one. Surba surba ... some(phiral) So many ... Tesenu. How many (men) ? Sapse (sabse) ? How many (animals) Mapse. How many (rupees) Thaipse, e.g. — How many rupees a month do you get ? " Danfrimbo danfrimbo thakha thaipse manii ? " In the case of the last three words it will be observed that the mterrogative pronoun, "how many," is expressed by the word "pse," the particles preceding it (" sa," "ma," "thai," &c.) belonging to the order of classifying words always used in conjunction with numerals. — {Vide section on Numerals above). IV.^YERBS. 12. — The verb is the most difficult part of the Kachari language to deal with, not so much from its structure or con- jugation, which is perfectly regular, as from the fact that the usage and exact force of the diiFerent tenses is uncertain, some of these, especially those expressive of "past time, being appa- rently sometimes used interchangeably. Again, the verb in Kachari admits of being compounded, not only with other verbal roots, but with adjectives, adverbs, and various affixes, which serve very materially to modify its meaning. Every verb is conjugated from a verbal root or stem, which appears in its simplest form in the Imperative Mood, and Avhich remains unchanged throughout all the different moods and tenses. This root or stem is in fact a verbal noun, and in composition sometimes takes the place of a noun, with the various case-endings, &c. The different relations of Tense, Mood, &c., are expressed by affixes attached directly to the verbal stem, an additional letter being occasionally inserted VERBS. 17 between tlie stem and the affix expressive of time, to prevent a disagreeable hiatus. Thus, the root " za " (eat) when combined with "li," the affix expressive of present (indefinite) time, becomes " zaiu," he eats, the letter " i " being no doubt inserted for the sake of euphony. In Kachari the temporal affix retains its form unchanged in all three persons of both numbers. Thus the affix "bai," denoting past time, appended to the root, "thang" (go), " thdng-bai," may be translated, '' I (you, he, they) went." In such instances tlie number and person of the verb can only be determined by reference to the Nominative case, without regard to the exact form of the word. 13. — The following paradigm will give some insight into the method of conjugating the verb in Kachari, with the various affixes expressive of mood, tense, &c. Conjugation of the regular verb active, " Nu-nu," to see. Indicative Mood. Simple P resell t — ( Indefinite ) . Smgnla7\ Plural. 1. — Aug Zangfur 'j (1 we \ 2. — xsTang Xangsur > nuiii < thou you > see, seeest, sees,&c. 3.— Bi Bisur ) (he they ) Present Definite — (Progressive). Nu-dang ... I, &c., am (art, is, are) seeing. Simple Past. Nu-ljai ... I, &c., saw. Past Progressive — ( Imperfect) . Nu-dangman ... I, &c., was (wert, were) seeing, or, did see. Past Pemote — (Pluperfect) Xu-nai Xu-dangriian Simple Future. Nu-gan ... I, &c., shallj or will see. n I I, &c., had seen 18 OUTLINE KACIIARI GRAMMAR. Paulo -post Future. Nu-si-gan | I, &c., shall or will see (i,e.^ almost Immc- Nu-nii-sui J diately). Imperative Mood. Nu •.. See thou (you) J Nu-thang ... Let hmi (them) see. Subjunctive Mood. Past or Future, Nu-ba ] ■^■r ^^ r >ii I see, or had seen. Potential Mood. Simple Present. Nu-nii hagaii ... I can see. Shnple Past. Nu-nii habai ... I could, (fee, see. Compound (Perfect) Past. Nu-nii hagaiiman ... I (may) might have seen. Simple Future. Nu-nii hdgan ... I shall be able to see, &c., &c. Infinitive Mood. Nu-nii ... To see. Participles. Present. Nu-ni ... Seeing. Perfec t. — ( Con j unct i ve . ) Nu-mi-noi... Having seen. Pa^f.— (Generally with })assiA'e sense, but sometimes active.-- Cy: ^. ^'dekhd.") Nu-nai ... Seen ; a seer. VERBS. 19 Agent. Nu-grd ... One who sees, a seer [//. — Dekhne-wdld.] 14. — Remarks on the Moods, Tenses, &c. A. — Little need be said regarding the Indicative, Iniinitive, or Imperative Moods, as these are used much as in English. The Imperative Mood, it will be seen, admits of a lengthened form in the third person, " Nu-thang," let him (them) see. The Subjunctive Mood has but two affixes ("ba," or "bla") which seem to be used indiscriminately to express past, present, or future time ; as, " Ang bikho nubd angan," if I see him, I shall love (him). " Ang bikh6 nuba (nubia) angaiiman," if I had seen him I should have loved (him). The Potential Mood is expressed by means of the auxiliary verb, " Hanu," to be able. By subjoining the diiferent temporal affixes to this root, ''ha," all the various degrees of past, present, and future time given for the Indicative Mood in the foregoing paradigm ma}^ be expressed. Present time. — Two affixes are used to exj)ress present time, " u " and " dang." Of these, the former is used somewhat indefinitely, in general statements, &c. " Barafra zaii langu," the Kacharis drink madh. " Boi mansuia zaii langdang," that man is (now) drinking madh ; the latter form indicating what is definitely going on at some point of present time. \_A.^ — '' Madh khaon": " Madh khaison."] * In order to assist the learner, who may be assumed to know some- thing of tlic Vernacnlar (Assamese) of the Upper Brahmaputra Valley, the Assamese equivalent of certain phrases, expressions, &€., is some- times given in brackets, preceded by the letter A, 20 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR* A third form of tlie present tense, only rarely met with, ends in " go " (gaii.) This seems to be used frequently in answering questions affirmatively ; e,g.^ " Nang niithi- dang mi ? Ang mithigo." Do you understand ? (Yes), I understand. Past time, — To express this, three affixes are used, ^' bai," " nai," and "dangman." Of these the first seems simply to express past time indefinitely ; " Mikham zabai," I eat rice (hhdt). The force of the affix, *' dangman," is not quite clear, or definitely ascertained ; it seems, indeed, to be used sometimes as an imperfect, sometimes as a pluperfect ; as, " Bifainaiau, dng mikham zadangman," w^hen he came I was eating (my) rice, (or, had eaten my rice ?) : this affix may, perhaps, be considered generally to ^-k'^tq^^ remote past time. The syllable, " nai," most commonly indicates the past participle (" Zanai," eaten), but is sometimes used in composition with the same force as " dangman,'* especially in interrogative sentences. Future time. — This is expressed by the syllable "gan," affixed to the verbal root ; as, " Bi faigan," he will come. The insertion of the syllable, "si," between the root and the affix serves to indicate a near future, or one about to become realised ; " Bi fai-si-gan," he will come, i.e.^ almost at once. \_A. — " Ahibo lagise," he is about to come.] Much the same meaning seems to be given by the comparatively rare form, "niisui," or " niise ;" e.g.^ "Ang fai-nii-sui,'' I am on the point of coming. This last form of the future tense is frequently used in asking questions, and may perhaps be looked upon as a kind of " interrogative future." B. — Excej)tional and irregular (abnormal) forms, &c. — The Infinitive Mood is sometimes used v/ith the force the Indicative, especially in asking questions ; e.g, — I d VERBS. 21 *^ Kliamsiau mabrui tMngniij" how can I go in the dark? '' Manii giniij" why should I be afraid ? These expressions are perhaps elliptical, the Infinitive verb being governed by some other verb understood ; e.g,^ the latter sentence might be fully expressed thus : — *' Manii ginii, (nanggo)," why (is it necessary for me) to fear ? An exceptional form of the present tense is that ending in "ni;" this form is of comparatively rare occurrence, and is used only in the first person ; e.g. — f thang-u " ^ T ^ { thang-m j Past time is occasionally expressed by the affix " khii " (khu), the use of this form of the verb being confined chiefly to interrogative sentences ; e.g. — " Hinf>:zhausa moba< ^ ., ' ^ ,X When did the woman come? ° l^faikhu j C. — Use of the Participles, &c. — The participle is frequently used as a verbal noun, and as such may take the usual case-endings, &c., in composition; e.g. — *' Bini litnai-a hama," his writing is bad. " Nangni haba maunaikho ling hama manii," I do not like your work (/zV., I find your work bad. \_A. — Tomar kdm bea paon]. (" Litnai-a," past particij^le of "litnu," to Avrite, with sign of nominative case "a" appended. " Maunai-kho," past particij^le of "maunii," to do, with sign of objective case "attached). 22 OUTLINE KACHAPxI GKAMMAK. This past participle in ^'nai" is used very largely, and may bear either an active or passive sense ; e.g. — ^' Ang mia nunai gathiui thangbai," the boy whom I saw (lit, seen [by] me) yesterday went away. [A, — Moi kali dekha lard gol]. " Angkho mia nunai gathaii thangbai," the boy who saw me yesterday went away. [A, — Mok kali dekha lara gol]. This participle is often used also to denote the agent or doer of the action expressed by the verb, as in the latter of the two preceding illustrations ; e.g. — " Mai hanaifur da mikham zadang," the reapers (foV., the paddy -cutters) are now eating their dinner. The same meaning (agent) may be expressed in another way by appending the affix " gra " to the verbal root ; e.g. — " Manaiau mai hagrafur mianggan," in the evening the reapers will be tired. This participle is sometimes combined with a noun to form a compound adjective qualifying another noun; e.g. — '' Bo liaba mau-sii-nai mansiii," this (is) a very hard- working (Ut.^ much- work-doing) man. (" Su," inten- sive particle = very ) . A kind of participial adverb is sometimes used, formed by attaching the affix " ui " to the verbal root; thus, the root, " mini " (laugh, smile) + ui, = smilingly ; e.g., " Miniui miniiii khorang khithabai," he spoke smilingly, i.e., he continued to smile all the time he was speaking. (This seems to be the full force of the reduplicated participial adverb). 15. — Passive Voice. A. — The Passive voice is formed simply by prefixing the past participle of the Eegular verb to the different tenses of the Substantive verb, " Zaanii," to be, become. A synopsis of le "ll VEKBS. 2S tlie conjugation of this verb, wliicli is quite regular, is here given. Present. Past. * » Imperfect. Future. Simple. Definite. Simjjle. Remote, Lid. ZaaiTi. Zaadcang, Zaabal, Zaanai Zdadangman. Zaagan. (zaadangnian). f Zda. ^^^•izdathang. Suhj. Zaaba. (Zdabld). {Zaanu- Zaaiiii- Zaaiiu- Zaanii- Zaanu- Zaanu- hagau. hadang. habai. habai hadangmau. hagan. (hadangman). Infin. Zdanu. Part. Zaani Zaananoi. Zaanai. In order to give the conjugation of the Passive voice of any verb, we have simply to prefix the past participle of that verb to the different tenses of the verb " Zaanu " above given. Thus, '' Nunu," to see : past participle, " nunai," seen ; " Ang nunai zaaiii," I am seen ; " Ang nunai zaabai," I was seen ; " Ang nunai zaagan," I shall be seen, &c. B. — Cognate in meaning to the verb " Zaanu " is the defective verb ''Dang" (danga), am, art, is, are. Only two tenses of this verb are in use, the present, " Dang," is ; and imperfect, " Dangman," was ; and by the help of these, certain tenses (present definite and past remote) of the regular verb are formed. They are also used independently in narrative [//. — Hai, tlia] ; " Gamiau biira sase dangman," there was an old man in the village. Sometimes the verbal root is omitted, and only the temporal affix retained; as, "Ang khanse giitha man " (man = dangman), I was once a boy. IC— ^^EGATIVE VeKBS. A. — The conjugation of the Xegative verb is peculiar, and differs materially from that of the Eegular verb. A negative (R 24 OUTLINE KACIIARI GRAMMAR. force is given to the verb, not in the way common to many languages, Le.\ hj prefixing ^ negative adverb (" na," ^' ne," *'non," &c..= not), but by attaching an affix directly to the verbal stem. Some of the forms assumed by the verb when conjugated in a negative sense, will appear from the following synopsis of the verb, '' Nunu," to see, in its negative form :— P.ESENT. Past. { J,™;:^,^. } Futube. Inch Niia. f (^ nuanian. f Da nu. \J)k niithang. Snhj. JSTuaba. (Niiabla). Simple. Remote, Niiakhiiinu Nualdniisc. Nuakliuiman. Nud. rNimu ) -XT - niaialdiuis^ Nunu Pot. J \ Nimii i 1 .,,,., . , ., ( liaia. J V liaiaknumu naia. r-' Part. Nui. Nue. (Nnalaba.) B. — It will be observed that a negative forests given to the root " Nu " (see), by attaching to it the affix'" a "jthrough- out the different moods and tenses. In certain cases this termination "a" becomes "i" or " e," especially in participial constructions ; e.g.^ " Bikho nu-'i-khai, ang faifaiinbai," I came back because I did not see him. " Bikho nuahiba dng faifafin- bai," I came back without having seen him. This latter form of the negative verb (combined with "laba") is a kind of participial adverb, and is of frequent use in Kacluiri, as is the analogous expression in Assamese ; c.g.^ " Nuahiba " = ^.— Na dekhakoi ; '' Gabau khamalaba " =J.— Palam na karakoi ; '' Ami hiba " =^. — Maram na karakoi, &c., &c. 17. — Causative Verbs. A. — These are formed generally by appending the verb " Hiinii," to give, to the infinitive mood of the principal verb, the various relations of mood and tense being indicated by VERBS. 25 the usual temporal affixes attached to this root " IIu," give : the conjugation of this causative form of the verb is quite regular. Synopsis of the verb,- " Nunu hiinii " [A. — Dckhibo did, dekhiia] , to cause to see, to show ; — Present. A Past. Future. Simple, Definite, Simple. Remote, Ind. J Nunu NuiiLi l huiil. hudang. Nunu Nunu Nunu hiibai. hiidangman. hugan. Lnp. r Nunu hii. \ hiitliang. Subj. -.^ ^ fhuba. Nunti NuniK ,,,,,, l^hiibla. niidangba Nunu , hubaibd. rNunii i hudangman- (ba. Nunu huba ; nuhubd. PoU rNuhunu \hagau. Nu hiinu Nu hunu Nu hiinu habai. hadangman. hdgan. Part , Nunu hiiba. Nunu htinanoi. B. — In some instances a simple verb acquires a causative force by undergoing a slight change of form, in the way of addition or otherwise, usually in its first syllable ; e.g, — Salangnii, to learn. Farangnti, to cause to learn, to teach. R^nnu, to dry (neuter). Frannu, to cause to dry, to dry (active). Dugiiinii, to bathe (oneself). Thukiiinii, to bathe (others). Sinii, to become wet (cloth, &c.) Fsinu, to cause to be wet, soak, steep, &c. C. — Relation of Cause and Effect. — This is expressed by means of the word " khai" \_A. — Kdran], which usually takes the possessive case before it, except when it is preceded by a verb or participle, when the sign of the possessive case is commonly omitted ; e.g. — " Bini khai faibai," on that account, I came. " Sandung gabrab khai ang thdngnu haiakhuise," because the sun was strong, I could not go. 26 OUTLINE KACHARI GEAMMAK, 18. — Compound Verbs. These are very numerous, verbal roots being compounded with Adjectives, Adverbs, other verbal roots, and various particles expressive of number, completeness, &c., which often materially qualify the meaning of the original verbal root. Tims the verb " Ziianu," to be, is often compounded with the qualifying word, " gaham," which is either adjective or adverb (good, or well), the first syllable of the qualifying word being generally omitted, and the various modal and temporal affixes' being then attached directly to the shortened form *• ham." Conjugation of the compound verb, " Hamnii " (for " gaham zaanii ") [A, — Bhal hod], to be good, to be well :— Past. Future. I Present. A Ind. Imp. Siihj. Siijiple. Hamu. Gaham zaa. zaathang Ham ba. Definite, Hamdang. Hamdang- ba. hafraii. Simple. Hambai. jjambai- ba. Hamnii habai. Remote. Hamdang- man. Hamdang- manba. Hamnii hadansman. Hamgan. Hamgan- ba. Hamnu hagan. Hamba. Hamni. f Gaham zaanai l^gabamnai. It will be observed that, with the exception of the Im- perative Mood, both members of the compound verb are used^j in an abbreviated form throughout, the root of the verb (" Zaa ") for the most part disappearing altogether, and the temporal affixes being attaclied directly to the last syllable of the adjective. Thus, '* Hamgan " [.4. — Bhal hobo] would in its full form be, "Gaham zaagan," it will (be) well. This rule apparently holds good in most, if not all, cases where adjectivesll are compounded with verbs ; as, " Thaiigan," it will (be) deep, (for /'Gathaii zaagan"); " Hora thaiidang," (for " Gathaii zaadang,") the night is deepening. d VERBS. 27 19. — Verbs are frequently compounded with other verbs, the two 7'oots only in such cases being combined, and the modal and temporal affixes being attached directly to the latter root; thus the verb, " Fafinnu," to turn, is very frequently attached to such roots, as, " Tliang," go ; '• Fai," come ; " Labo," bring ; " Hu," gives us such useful words, as- [ thang "> , fai give, &c. ; and this combination ^""S < Mbo > faiingan, I will go come I bring [give, &c. back. hu, &c. j In such compounds (verbal) the secojid root often indi- cates the j'esult of the compound action indicated by the whole verb, while the former root shows the manner in which this result is brought about. Thus, the root "That" (to kill), when preceded by another root, indicates not only " death by violence," but the mode of death ; e.g. — Bii (beat) "> Tto beat Su (pierce) — pierce Sail (bruise) '>thatnii < — bruise \ to death. Dan (cut) — cut Gau (shoot), e^c, &c. ; ^ — shoot, &c.. There are several other particles in the language attached to verbal roots to form compound verbs after the analogy of the above examples. Some of those most commonly used, with their significations, are given here — {a) — '' Lang " denotes completeness, or intensifies the sense running away. of the simple verb ; e.g. — fi ., fkhatdam]^ } .i i uoraia J ^ ^ ° I the horse is (khat-hing-dang ) (i) — " Bai " expressed continuous^ progressive action :— T^r , fbirdan"' ) , , i* i- fflyini>'. Daua^ / o Vtliebirdis^ , . i ( bir-bai-dang j (flying about contiiiuall} 28 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. (c) — " Zlai " is used of refiexive^ reciprocal action : — " Siiima atgan," the dog will bite. " Suimdfra at-zlai-gan," tlie dogs will bite eacb other. 20a. — Verbs are occasionally combined even with nouns, though such combinations are comparatively rare. The verbal root " Zaa" (be, become), is the one most commonly used in such compounds, the root itself often being elided, and the temporal affix being attached directly to the noun. The following illustrations will give some idea of the general principle on which such compounds are formed : — "Mand," evening; ^' Mamigan ( = mana zaagan),'/ it will (be) evening: lit,^ "It will eve." *'Khamsi," darkness; " Khamsibai ( = khamsi zaabai)," it has (darkened) become dark. " Khamsinii namaidang (= khamsi zaanii namaidang" [Jl. — Endhar hobo khiizise], it is about to (become) dark. In such instances it will be seen that the verbal root " Zda " (be) disappears altogether, the temporal affix only remaining, and combining with the substantive to form a kind of verbal noun. These verbal nouns may be conjugated throughout by attaching the modal and temporal ' affixes given in the foregoing paradigms. 20b. — Verbs arc sometimes combined with other parts of speech ; e,g.^ Adverbs, as — ** Bebai^dibla iing thanggan," under the circumstances, I shall go. {Lit— If it is so, I shall go.) "Bebaidi nungabti, ang thanga," under other circum- stances I shall not go. {Lit. — If it is not so, I shall not go). In these sentences **Bebaidi" is the Adverb, "thus," [-i.—Ene], with which "bla" (shortened form of "zaabla," from^zdanu," to be, is combined [^.— Ene hole]; while VERBS. 29 ^'mingaba," is the Subjunctive Mood of the emphatic negative verb ^' niinga." (22). [.4. — Ene na hole]. 21. — Completive (intensive) Verbs. A. — A common usage in Kachari is to strengthen and intensify the meaning of a verbal root by attaching a distinct syllable to it, this syllable being inserted between the verbal stem and the temporal affix throughout the conjugation. The particles most commonly employed for this purpose are, '' khang," " zap " ('' zab "), ^' tra," " su," &c. The following illustrations will give some indication of the general principle on which such compounds are used : — *' Mai habai," (he) has cut his paddy. " Mai ha-Ma72^-bai," (he) has finished cutting his paddy [^.— Dhan dai etale]. r" Boi gamini mansiiifra thoibai,'^ the men of that village I died. j " Boi gdmini mansiiifra boibii thoi-^ra-bai,'' the men of \ that village all died out : i.e.^ to a man. In such instances as the last given, not only is the " par- ticle of completeness " attached to the verbal stem, but some adjective of the same purport is often used with the noun (" tra ; boibii''-=alL) The particle (intensive) '' su '^ is often used in the same way, as— '" Bar bar-dang," the wind is blowing. Bar bar-5^I-dang," the wind is bloAving strongly. In other combinations the same particle is used to express large numbers (=adverb, " many," &c.) ; e.g. — z^" Be nuau thamfoi dang-a," there are mosquitoes in this I house. ** dang-5?7-i-a," there are ma?2j/ mosquitoes in this house. < 80 OUTLINE KACHAKI GRAMMAR. Lamaiau mansuifur fai-dang," men are coming along the road. fai-5^7-dang," many men, &c., &c. B. — In some few instances the noun is repeated in the verb when this latter stands in a specially close— almost technical — relation to the noun ; e.g. — " Be bangfangd {Miai thaigan^'^) this tree (will bear fruit.) Lit. J will fruit fruit. "Daua (bidrd duidang,'') the hen (is laying eggs). '' Sanfrimbo (bar ^aru,") (the wind blows) every day. (Cf. — " The rai?i it raineth every day.") 22. — Defective Yerbs, Auxiliary Verbs, t^c. A. — These are not numerous in Kachari. The most com- mon is that already noticed, viz. : — *' Danga, dangman," is, was, — used apparently only in the present and imperfect tenses ; and its negative *' Guia," is not, was not. '* Be gamiau mansiii danga na ? Guia," are there men in this villaore ? There are not. o A strongly emphatic form of the negative "giiia" is formed by inserting the particle " li " after the first syllable ; e.g. - " Be gamiau mansui giii-//-a," there is not even a single man in this village. This word "guia." like its correlative " gnang " (see below) is sometimes appended to nouns to form a compound adjective ; e.g. — " 1)0 thakha giiiVi," he is without money, — poor. " Be thakha gnang," he is possessed of money, — rich. When used in this way the termination of the word sometimes undergoes a slight change, and it may take the form " giLic " or " gtiii," &c. VERBS. 31 Another form of the negative verb substantive is " niing^i," which is perhaps somewhat more emphatic than '' gma." ^' Be gamiau liodsci danga na ? Nunga ; hingzhdusd danga." Are there men in this village ? ISTo, (but) there are women, ( G ui a ") is equivalent to J Nai. As a general rule I j^^,^g, j^j^^ Assamese JNa lioi. B. — Necessity, obligation, &c. — Physical necessity is expressed by the word, " nang-go '* (nanggaii) ;— in its negative form, " nang- a " \_A. — Lage ; — nd lage] ; as, — " Nang be haba mauanii minggo," you must do this work. *' Nang sanau udiinii nanga," you must not sleep in the daytime. Moral necessity (duty, right and wrong, &c.) is expressed either by {a) the adjectives, "gaham," " hama," good, bad; or (h) the verb, "mannii " [4. — Piibo], which in its negative form become "man -d" J as — " Zangfur bizang bezang hahai hiinaia gaham," we ought to help each other. ttiiirx -// Mir f khamnii mami " ") , , , ^ "Mansuia sikhau^ , . , . , , , , „ Vmen must not steal, (khamnaia hama J Connected etymologically perhaps with the verb "JSTanggo," is the useful particle "gnang" \_A, — Lagia], which denotes (1) possession, &c., as, " Thakha gming," possessed of rupees, i.e.^ wealthy ; and (2) necessity, moral obligation, &c. ; e.g. — " Maunii gnang haba " [^J. — Koribo lagia karam], duty — " what (we) ought to do." " Mannii gnang " [^. — Pabo lagia], rights — " what (we) ought to get." Most of these verbs, though here called defective, admit of being conjugated to a certain extent with tlie usual modal and temporal affixes ; e.g. — 32 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. " Ban guiaba mikham siingnii haia ;" If there is no firewood, (I) cannot cook (my) rice. " Giiidba " is here the subjunctive mood of " gma." 23.— ADVERBS. In the Kachdri language are found adverbs of Manner, Time, and Place. A. — Adverbs of Manner (quality). These in many cases are formed from the cognate adjective simply by adding "hiii," or " iii ;" as "gaham," good; *' gahamhui," well ; " hamd," bad ;'/' hamehui," badly. When the adjective ends in a vowel (as in the latter illustration), the termination often undergoes a slight change before the adverbial affix is attached. Some of the Adverbs of Manner in most common use are the following : — Mamar ") . , _ Gakhrui I 'l"^*^.^'- Mabrui how ? in what way ? Bebaidi in this way. Boibaidi in that way. Zeroi hdgaii somehow. Zdbni many. Btingai few. Lasc lasc [^. — Ldhe lahe].. slowly, gradually. Mohdbti somewhere. Balii ; biui only. Bdbu (affix) tlicobu although. Bifor mani ct cetera (&c.) [.4. — Adikari.] Gamainu certainly, surely. Thapnu suddenly. Mababr uiba in some way or other. Hatsingiii alone. ADVERBS. 33 B.— 'Adverbs of Time. Dini to-day. Gabun to-morrow. Mia yesterday. Dakliali day before yesterday. S U23nelid day after to-morrow Dd now. Ddsii, ddnii (emphatic) even now, at once. Mobd when ? Zebhx, ablA Avhen, then. Azai ; azamii always. .Umiu afterwards. Fiingau ; fiingzani in the morning, AgUi before. Zeblahcdlagi — ablahdhigi ... as long as — so long. Khanso once. Khanle khanle often, frequently. Tebld 1 foftime. Abd ; bibaidibla ..J (of argument. Halagi ; zeblahalagi until. Ampha ; amphare then ; afterwards. Many of these adverbs of time can be made emphatic by the addition of certain enclitic syllables ; e.g,- - " Da," now ; " dasii," even now, at this very moment. Some of them also admit of being declined as nouns, as, " Danifrai ang nangkho angan," from this time I shall love you. Here, " dd " (= now) has the force of a noun (this time), in the ablative case. F 34 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAK, C, — Adverbs of Place. Beaunii here ; ie.^ in tliis (place) Boiaunii there ; i.e., in that (place). Moha (maiiha) where ? \ Mxezniu within. \Baizzhau without. Sig^ng (siigang) before. i^Unau ; behind. Khathiau .1... ». near. Sadu (saiau) above. Singau ^ belovv^ Gazan afar. Many of these, it will be seen, are simply nouns in the Locative case, and as such they admit of being declined ; as, — '' Bi Tezpur khathinifrai faidang," he comes from near Tezpur. Here, "khathi" (=near) has the force of a noun (=:" neigh- bourhood," &c.,) in the ablative case. 24.--PREPOSITIONS (POSTPOSITIONS). The words corresponding to what we call " prepositions " are in Kachdri for the most part placed after the noun, and might, therefore, be more properly called " postpositions." Some of these have been already referred to as forming the case-endings in the declension of nouns. Others in common use are the following : — Laguse together with. Khai on account of ; [A .— K araii. ] ^ezrau , in the midst. Hd lagi up to, as far as. Baidi » like. Fatbruithing All around ; [^.—Chdrio fdle). CONJUNCTIONS. 35 Most of these require the i:>ossessive case before them, as — '' J^oi-ni khai Aug thangnu haia-khuise," On account of that I could not go. The sign of the possessive case is sometimes omitted, as — " Gaziingnai khai ang thangnii haiii," On account of the cold I cannot go. " Gazangnai" is here the past tense of neuter verb, " Gazangnh," to be cold, used as a verbal noun, — a construction in which the sign of the possessive case is usually omitted. 25.— CO:^JU]sTCTIONS. Conjunctions are used but sparingly in Kachari, their place in this, as in other Oriental languages, being largely taken by participles, &c. This is especially the case with some of the conjunctions of most frequent occurrence, such as "and," r "Ang bikho nunanoi lingbai," I saw liim and called him. (ZzV., I seeing him, called him). "Ang biklio nubti linggan," if I see him, I Avill call him. (ZzY., I on seeing him, will call him). Other conjunctions sometimes met with are given below, some of these (to Avhich [xl.] is prefixed) are obviously adopted from the Assamese : — [^.] — Aril, o (affix) bu and, also, too. Manathu ; khai because; for, &c. [/I.] — Khintii ; theobu but, however, &c. Niingaba ; zai aba , ... else, otherwise. Anthaiba ; ba or. Babu (affix) ; tlieol)^ altliough. Bini khai therefore. Ba ; bhi (affixes) if. 36 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. 26.— INTERJECTIOXS. These are but little used ; some of the most common are — ' Sri, sri hush ! be silent ! Haanoi ; naisung look! look! [A.~\ — Hai, hai alas! Niinggo yes, certainly (strong affirmative). Gahiim well done ! Helfii hallo! oh! 27.— WORDS BORROWED FROM OTHER LANGUAGES. In Kachari, as in many other uncultivated languages, many of the words dealing with subjects rising above the sphere of daily wants and wishes, are adopted from the speech of their more civilised neighbours. Accordingly, words obvi- ously taken from the Assamese, Bengali, Hindustani, and even English languages, are not unfrequently used, especially in written composition. Such foreign words almost always undergo certain changes in the mouth of a Kachari, and among the most obvious of such changes are the following : — A. — A nasal sound is often inserted where the original Aryan word has none ; e.g., " Katluil " (jack -tree) becomes ^'Kanthal." B. — An unaspirated initial consonant is very commonly, though not invariably, aspirated ; e.g., " Taka " (rupee) becomes " thakha " (or " thankha," a nasal being sometimes inserted); "pur" (wliolc, complete), "fur;" " prabhau " (glory, might), "frabhtiu." Occasionally the reverse process takes place, an initial aspirated consonant giving place to an unaspirated one ; e.g., "Ghora" (horse) becomes "gorai." SYNTAX. 37 In other cases, usually in words of more than two syllables, an asj^irated consonant at the beginning of a word is transferred to a similar position in the second syllable of the word ; e,(j.^ ^' Bhitarat " (within, inside) becomes " bithardu," &c. C. — The dental sounds " d," " t," &c., are usually replaced by others of a cerebral character, closely approximating to the sounds of the corresponding English letters. D. — The various sibilant letters, " s," "sh," &c., are com- monly replaced by " kh," which often becomes a strong guttural di^Y^v?iiQ ] e.g., "Asa" (hope), " akha," &c. PART III.-SYNTAX. With the limited knowledge of the Kachari language at present available, it would be idle, and probably misleading, to attempt to lay down a complete sketch of the syntax of this form of non-Aryan speech. Indeed, much of what is known of this part of the subject has been already anticipated in the Accidence. Perhaps the be'st method of obtaining some insight into the syntax of the language is the careful study and analj^sis of a certain number of typical and illustrative sentences, which may serve to show the changes and modihcations undergone by the different parts of speech when brought into syntactical relation with each other. In the following pages a number of such sentences are given, arranged in groups, following tlie order of the different parts of s|)eech, and numbered with reference to the sections bearing the same numbers in the Accidence. In tliis way it is hoped that some of the leading syntactical principles of the language will be brought before the student, his attention being specially drawn to these principles by enclosing the typical and representative word or phrase in parentheses, in English and Kachari alike. Occasion- ally, explanatory notes are added, and sometimes attempts are 38 OUTLINE KACIiAKI GRAMMAK. made to lay down formal rules, thougli these latter, with the limited knowledge of the language at present at the writer's command, cannot pretend to be more than approximately correct. I.— NOUNS. 1. — Gender. (The bo}'s and girls) are (Gatliii gathaifra) faidang. coming. ^ (The cock) is crowing (The hen) lay eggs The (he-goat) eats grass The (she-goat) gives milk . The (boar) is very fierce gangsu (Dau zlaia) gasipdang. (Dau ziui) bidui diiiu. ( Burma f anth aia ) zaiu. (Burma fanthia) gakhir hiiiii. (Oma bundaia) khepzrang. This (sow) has four young Be (omabundiha) fisamabriii danga. Number. (Mansuia) thoidang. ,. Boibii (mansiiifur) thoigan. (Gathaa) mmidang. (Gathafur) gelenii gaham manii. ,. Mosaia hagraiau thaiu. (Mosafni) burmafurkho zaiu. ( S uimaia) ^angdang. ( vS 111 mafrd ) bi zang nani^'zlaidano'. Case. ( Mansuifur) faibai. (G at] laa) udiidang. (Suimaia) atgan. (Daufiir) birbaiiu. (At) sukhang. ones. c The (man) is dying All (men) will die The (boy) laughs (l)oys) like to play The (tiger) hves in jungle .. (Tigers) eat goats The (dog) is barking The (dogs) are figliting to gether. bezant: o.- The (men) liave come The (boy) is slee})iDg The (dog) will bite (B>irds) fly Light the (fire) SYl^TAX — NOUNS, 39 Cook the (rice) ... (Mikliam) sang. Honour your (father and mo- (Xamma namfdkho) manyu ther). klam. I will shoot (a tiger) ... Ang (mosdkh6) gauthatgan. Cut down the tree (with an (Euazang) bangfangkho dan. axe). I catch fish (with a net) ... Ang (ze zang) mi hamii. He shot the bird (with a gun) Bi daukho (silai zang) gau- ^ thatbai. Men cut paddy (with a sickle) (KM^i zang) mansuifur mai aiu. Give (me) some rice ... Mikham bangai (angnii) hu. I will give (you) ten rupees Danfrimbo danfrimbo^ (nang- a month. nii) thakha thaizii hiigan. Bring (him) some firewood... (Binu) bangai ban labo. I gave (them) some water ... Ang (bisiirnu) bangai diiikho hiibai. Take the knife (from him) ... (Binifrai) khathrikho se'nanoi lang. I am bringing rice (from the (Bazarnifrai) mairang labo- bazaar). dang. I bought this cloth (from a (Dukhaninifrai) be hikli6 shop-keeper). bainanoi labobai. He comes (from Tezpur) ... Bi (Tezpurnifrai) faidang. I can do (my) work ... (Angni) habakho khamnu hagaii. Is the fruit (of that tree) good ? (Boi bangf angni) fithai gclham na ? The thatch (of the house) is (Niini) thoria seaiibai. rotten. (His) wife is ill ... (Bini) hingzhaua zobani za- dang. * This is a '^ reduplicative " and distributive form of speech, like '■•' Roz roz " (day by day) in Hindustani, 40 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR, The (tiger's) claws are sharp (Mosdni). asiigur gabaii. (I have) [of me] ten rupees (Angha) thakha thaizu danga. Stay (in the house) ... (Nfuiu) thd. "^ Fish live (in the water) ... Kaia (diiiau) thaiii. Snakes are found (in the grass) Zibaiifur (gang'suiau) man- nai zaiii. There are three cows (in the Mosaiifur matham (dubliau) field). danga. (0 my friend), come quickly (Helfii khurma), mamar fai. (0 sir), give me a little rice... (Hai sdhib), angnu bdngai mikham hii. Order of Words in a Sentence. — -This generally follows the rule common in many other languages ; i.e.^ 1, Subject ; 2, Object ; 3, Verb. Of the qualifying and subordinate words, the adjective may either follow or precede its noun, whilst the adverb is used before its verb or adjective, and what we call prepositions almost invariably follow the nouns they govern. Occasionally the verb is placed first and the subject at the end of the sentence, this being done when very great emphasis is given to the action of the verb ; e.g.^ " Siiima atgan," the dog will bite (non-emphatic). " Atganthu (atgande) siiimaianii," bite the dog (most certainly) will — - (strongly emphatic.) In this last (emphatic) form of the sentence it will be observed that both subject and verb take certain affixes, ^'thii" and '' dc " in the case of the verb, and " dnu " in the ca*e of the noun, the latter being, in fact, a compound affix (a + nii), the former part (a) having to some extent the force of the definite article, and the latter (nii) beino- an " enclitic " particle. Other affixes of this character are "bu" (bo) and "su" (so) "sm" (soi), the latter being used chiefly with verbs, whilst "bu" and '' nu " are attached to adjectives (adverbs) and nouns (pronouns), &c. These affixes, which may perhaps be called "euphonic enclitics," seem to be SYNTAX — ADJECTIVES. 41 used for a double purpose, — partly for tlie sake of euphony and partly to strengthen and emphasise the meaning of the words to Avhicli they are attached. In some cases they seem to affect the meaning of a word or sentence very slightly if at all, and their use is then mainly euphonic : and it may be observed genercdly that considerations of euphony Juive great iveight in determining the exact form and structure of words and sentences in this language, 4.— ADJECTIVES. A (high) mountain ... Hazu (gazaii). (Deep) water ... ^ Dui (gathaii). The plantain is (sweet) ... Thalida|^lT \ ^ The bamboo is (long) The elephant is (strong) Igadoi.^ Oa (galau). Hathia (balagra).^ 5. — Comparison. The elephant is ( stronger than (Gorainii khri) hat hid the horse). (balagra). Your dog is (better than mine) Angni (siiimanukhri) nangni siiima (gaham). Man is (taller than) woman... (Hingzhauniikhri) hoaia (gazaii). You are (worse than) I am... Nang (angnnkhri hama). The elephant is (the largest of (Boibo zanthu'niikhri) hathia all beasts). (gadet'sina). He is the (best of the boys)... (Boibo gathcVnusa'ri) bi (ga- ham sina) . He is the (worst of all) ... B( (boinusari hama'simi). The ]^>rahmaputra is a {very ])rahmapjitra drdmaiaf (gadet- large) river. sin). ^ ( '' Gatluui," [J.— Huad], sweet to taste I " Gadoi," sweet in hroad, general sense. rr\^, , . ., (" sa " "(hiuinutive" affix, opposed to "ma." n„,-n.a=n ve,- (laro.) \ ^ , ^^^^. j,_ , _^ ,, ^ , ^^^^^^ ' lUu.-sa = nvulot | aiiau," &o.) Q 42 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. 6. — Numeral Adjectives (Classifying Numerals). (Five men) are working ... (Sdbd mansuia) MM man- dang. Bring (seven iislies) ... (Masmi nd) Idbo. I killed three dofi^s ... Suima matham buthatbai. Buy (ten eggs) for (five pice) (Faisa gatba) liimdnoi (bidui duizii) bai. I got (two goats) for (three (Thaitham thakha) hundnoi rupees). ang (manui burmd) manbai. There are (fifteen trees) in this Be dublidu (bangfang zuhkai' field. tham fangtham) danga. The COAV has (two horns) ... Mosaiiha (gang manniii) danga. PRONOUNS. 7. — Personal Pronouns. (I) can walk ... (Ang) thabainu hagaii. (He) struck (me) with a cane Raigan zang (bi) (angkho) bubai. Give (me) the rice [sdul] ... Mairangkho (dngnu) hii. Take (it from me) ... (Angnifrai bikho) lang. (We) can see (you) ... (Zangfur nangkho) nainu hdgaii. (They) saw (us) ... (Bisur zangfurkho) nubai. Go (to them) ... (Bisur^niau) thang. (I) came (from them) ... (Ang) (bisur'nifrai) fiiibai. Show (them to us) ... (Bisurkh6zangfur'niau)naihii. Did (you) call (us ) ? ... (Nang zangfurkho) lingnai na ? (My) son is coming ... (Angni) fisd faidang. (His) house is large ... (Bini) niia gadit. Reduplicative use of the Personal Pronoun. — When a personal jironoun is used in the possessive case, it is sometimes repeated in a slightly changed form before the noun it qualifieSj SYNTAX — PRONOUNS. 43 especially when this latter expresses intimate family relation- ship, e.g.^ father, mother, brother, &c., thus — My 1 r Angni a-fa. Your > father I Nano-ni nan2;-fa. His J { Bini bi-fa. My 1 [ Angni ai. Your > mother < Nansni nam-md. His J { Bini bi-ma Here the words " father" and " mother" are represented by the monosyllables, ^' fa" and "ma ;" but when preceded by a pronoun in the possessive case, that pronoun is repeated before these nouns, — in the first person its form undergoing a certain change, "afa" being substituted for "ang-fa" (my father), and "ai" for " ang-ma " (my mother). This rule holds good of other nouns of the same class ; e.g.^ " da," eldest son of a family \_A. — Kakai], takes the forms " a-da," "nang-da," "bi-da"; "ba," eldest daughter, becomes, " a-ba," " nang-ba," " bi-ba," &c., &c. 8, Relative ; 9, Interrogative ; 10, Demonstrative; and 11, Adjective Pronouns. 8.— The man (who) came (Zainii) faibai, bi mairang brought rice. labobai. Send him (whom) you may (Zaikho) lagii mangan, bikh6 meet. thinhat^ / Return the rupee to (him who Thakha (gamanaikho) hiifin. lost) it. The boy (who) worked yes- (Zai) gathaamidhabamdunai, terday is dead. bi thoibai. The man (whom) I taught (Zaikho) ang farangnai, bi lives at Gauhati. Gauhatiau thdiii. I have forgotten the story (Zi) khoning mia khnanai, (which) I heard yesterday. bi-kho baugarbai. As before remarked, participles in Kachari often take the place of relative pronouns ; thus the last sentence given above would be more idiomatically rendered, thus — "Mia (khnanai) khordngkho baugarbai," i.e.^ the story (heard) [by me] yesterday, (I) have forgotten. 44 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. 9. — (Who) is tliat man? (Whose) ddu is this? (Whom) did you see ? (To whom) did you give it ?. . . (From whom) did you get this? (Which way) are you going? In (wliat) viHage do you live ? (What) do you say ? (What) is the matter? 10. — (This) is my house (That) water is cold (These) cows are fat (Those) goats are thin (These) coolies have finished their work. (Those) men all went away... 11. — (Somebody) is coming... (Some) men are idle (Each man) must do (his own) work. (Many) boys have gone away (As many as) work will receive wages. (How much) rice is in the granary ? (How many) men worked in the tea-house to-day ? (How many) rupees a month do you want ? Bi (sur) mansiii? Bi (surni) sekha? Nang (surkho) nunai? Nang bikho surnii hunai ? Nang bikho (surnifrai) man- hai ? Nang (biibething) thangnii ? Nang (babe) gdmiau thadang ? K'ang (ma) khithddang ? (Ma) zaadang ? (Be) angni nil. (Boi) duia gassu'. (Be) mosaiifra gafiing. (Boi) burmafra hamnai. (Be) khulifra haba miiukhang- bai. (Boi) mansuifra boibo thang- (tra)bai.^ (21 A). (Surbd) faidang. (Khaise) mansiiia alsia. Mansuifra (g^gai gagai) luiba maunii nanggo. Gathafur thang(tra)bai.^ (Zese) haba maliii darmaha mangan. Bandarau (bese) mai danga ? Dini sa-nfulu (sapse) mansiii habd maunai ? Nang danfrimbo (bese) tha- kha mannu namaiu ? * Intensive particle " tra," attached to verbal root, gives the sense of " many," or " all " (" tra," intensive particle. 21 A). SYNTAX — VERBS, 45 (Other) men will come to- Gnbun (giibun) mansuifaigan. morrow. Bring (as much) rice (as) (Zese) mai nanggo (bise) w^e want. labo. There is (nobody) in the house Nuau (ruubo ^ guia.) " He does (not) understand "| , \ (anything). He under ^ii"»g)- |> Bi (miingbo* mithid), rstands (nothing) J 12, 13, 14.— VERBS— Active. Men (eat) rice ... Mansiiifur mikham (zaiu). Cows (give) milk ... ^Mossaiifra gakhir (huiii). Bears (live) in the jungle ... Mafurfrd liagraiau (thm The (sun) rises every day . . . Sana sanfrimbo (ankharu). They (are cutting) the paddy. Bisur mai (hadang). The women (are sifting) rice.. Hinzhausafur mai (zaudang). He (is building) a hou^e .... Bi nii (ludang). The rain (is falling) heavily.. Akha zabrahiii (hadang). I (was going) home wlien Nang angkho lagii manba ang you met me. niiau (thangdangman). They (were eating) their rice Ang faiba bisur mikham when I came. (zabai thadangman.) He (w^as sleeping) when I Ang baizzhau thangba bi went out . ( udiibai thadangman ) . He (has gone) to Gauhati... Bi Gauhatiau (thangbai). The paddy (has ripened) ... Mai (manbai). The steamer (has reached) Jahaza Dibrugarh (manbai). Dibrugarh. They (have forgotten) wliat Ang bisurnii khithanai kho- I told them. rdngkho bisur (baugarbai). {'' Kau-bo "J r nobody, no one. "Mi\ng-bo" I combined ^vitll negatke verb | „oti,;„g_ 46 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. He (went) to Mangaldai yes- Bi mid Mangalduidu (thdng- terday. bai). They (came) to Tezpur last Bisur thangnai hapthasiau week. Tezpurau (faibai). The wind (blew ) strongly all Horse mani bar (barsiinai).* night. You (cut down) the tree three Nang bangfang (dannaia) san days ago. tham thangbai. He (had gone out) when I Ang faiba bi (thangdangman). came in. You (had written) the letter Ang thangnai aglanii nang before I went away. sithi (litdangman). I (had cut) my paddy before Nang fainai aglanii ang mai you arrived. (hadangman). He (had ploughed) his field Bi niiau thangnai aglanii before he went home. dubliau (haloi oidangman). I (will bring) thatch to-day... Dini ang thoriii (labogan). To-morrow I (will build) my Gabun ang bandar (lugan). granary. Next w^eek I (shall cut) my Fainai hapthasiau ang mai paddy. (hagan). Then I (shall give) my friends Aba ang khurmdfurnii bhazii a feast. (hiigan). He (will come very soon) ... Bi (mamar faisigan). The paddy (w^ill ripen almost Maia da (mansigan.) at once). (Go) to school every day ... Sanfrimbo iskuMu (thdng). (Honour) your father and Nangni nammd namfakho mother. (mainya khhim). (Love) your enemies ... Hathrufurkho (an). (Let) all men (fear) God ... Boibo mansiiifra Iswarkho (githang). * " Bar-sii-nai :" " bar-nu," to blow ; " su," intensive affix to verbal root=stronglyj heavily, &c. (21 A.) SYNTAX — VERBS. d7 (If you work) well, you will Nang gaham (haba khambd) be rewarded. ' furuskar mangan. (If you see) him, call him ... Bikho (nuba) ling. (Should I meet) him, I shall Bikho (lagii manba), gaham like him. mangan. (Had I met) him, I should Bikho (lagii manba), gaham have liked him. mangaiiman. I (can write) a letter ... Ang sithi (litnii hagaii). He was blind, but (can now Bi khanaman* da (nainu see). liagau). I (could do) my work ... Ang hdba (khamnii habai). I (might have loved) him Ang bikho khanse (amiti once. habai). I (shall be able) to do my work. Ang haba khamnii (hagan). They went (to plough) the Dubliau (hali oinu) thangbai. field. He goes (to look for) the fowls. Daufurkho (namainii) thangii. She went (to meet) her bro- Bi bifangkho lagii lanii thang- ther. bai. (Seeing) a tiger, I ran away Mosakho (nunanoi) ang khat'- langnai'^'sui. (Descending) from a tree, a Bangfangnifrai (ankhdtbanii) bear seized him. mafura bikho hambai. (Having gone) to the house, I Niiau (thangbanii) khurma- saw my friend. kho niinaisui. (Having planted) my rice, I Mai (gai^khangnai^^khai) ang can now rest a little. da bangai ziranii hagaii. The (reapers) are in the field (Maihanaifraf ) dubliau danga. * " Kliana-miin," for " kliaiia [J.] dangman," was blind —verbal root omitted and temporal affix only retained. (15 B). t " Ha-nai," past participle from " ha-nii," to cut — used in active souse ; " Mai lui-uai " [^1. — Dhan doa] = paddy cutter, reaper. 48 OUTLINE KACPIARI GRAMMAK. The (beggar) wants some food (Bibai%raia^) bangai zanai basthu namaidaiig. 15. — Passive Voice. Madh (is drunk) by Kacliaris Barafra zau (langii). Fish (are caught) in nets ... Zc zang mi (hamii). The cow (was eaten) by a Mosaia mosaiikho (zabai) by a tiger. The boy (had been killed) by Mafura farthatbai ] a bear. gathakho Ikhurthatbai J ' The paddy (will be cut) to- Gabun mai (hagan). morrow. (Let) the child (be brought) Beau gathakho (labo). here. If you steal, you (shall be N"ang sikhaudangba (buzaa- beaten). g^i^)- I may (be seen) here ... Angkho bcaunii (nainu hd- ^ gaii). If I (had been beaten) I Ang (buzaaba) khatlanggaiV- should have run away. man. The man (killed) bj the tiger Mosaia (atnai)J mansiiikho (was buried) yesterday. mia (fopbai). (Having been taught) by him, Bizang (salang'nanoi), dug I soon learnt to read. mamar fLU'hinu rangbai. On account of the darkness I Khamsi zaamiikhai angkho (was not seen). (nuakhiiise). * " Bi-bai-grai-a," = " Bi," to ask + " bai," affix denoting contimi- ous, repeated action, + " gi'ti," agent (//. — Walii) + " a," definite article (3 I).), " i " being iiiscrtcMl enplionically between the last two syllables, one who is always asking, l)egging, &c., — a beggar. (19). t^'Ar-that-bai" ("arnu," to bite + "thatnu," to ^ kill) ., bit to death i '' Khnr-that-bai " (" khurnu," to claw, tear, &c., -f p '^) "thatnu") clawed to death; :!: '^ Atnai," past participle in " nai " (used in passive sense), from " atnu " (arnii), to bite, — killed by biting. syi^taX — Verbs. 49 It will be observed that in all the sentences above given, with one or two exceptions, the English passive verbs are rendered in Kachari by verbs active ; e.g,^ the Kaclniri equi- valent for "the cow was eaten by a tiger," is, when translated literally^ " the tiger eat the cow." In short, in this as in some other Oriental tongues, the Passive voice is used only very sparingly and infrequenth'. 16. — Negative Verbs. He (does not live) in Tezpur Bi Tezpurilu (thaia). I (am not going) home ... Ang niuiu (thanga). You (were not working) when Ang faiba nang liaba (maud- I came. khiiiman). They (had not caught) any Ang bifurkho nuba masebo nd fish when I saw them. (manakhuiman). The coolies (did not pluck) Khulifuni dini bilai (khaia- leaf to-day. khiiinu). They (cannot dry) the tea to- Dhii sa (frannu) liaia). day. ^ ^ y They (could not do any hoe- Mui bisur (khodal zaunii haia- ing) yesterday. khuise). If you are idle, I (shall not Nang al^sia zaaba ang (gaham like) you. mana). (Do not drink) much madh... Zabrahui zaii (da langsu).* If I am unwell, I (cannot Ang zobra zaaba (haba maun u work). haiii). Because I w^as unwell, I (could Zobni zaanaikhai ang (haba not work). maunu haiakhuise). I (shall not come) if it rains... Akha hciba ang (faia). J3eing very busy, (I cannot Anglia haba thasunaikhai* go) to see you. ' nangklio nainu (thangnu haia). Su," intensive i>articlc, strengthens sense of verbal root. (21), 50 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. (Not having finished the work) ( Haba m a u k h a n g i k h a i ) f the stihib blamed me. sdhibd dngkho dai hubai. (Not having) a gun, I could Anghd silai (giinkhai)J mosa- not shoot the tiger. kho gduthatnii haidkhiiise. (Unless it rains), we cannot (Akha haiaba) zangfur hdloi do our ploughing. oinii haia. Come back (without delay) ... (Gabau khamdMbd)|| faifafin. (Without diligence) it is im- (Man huahibd)|| gyan mannu possible to get learning. hdia. 17. — Causative Verbs, &c. I (feed) the boys with rice ... Gatliafurkho mikham (zahii- dang). He is (shaking) the tree ... Bangfangkho (simaudang). You (sent) the woman to Gau- Nang hingzhausakho Gdu- hdti. hatidu (hatbai). I (was teaching) him to read Nang faiba ang bikho (farang'- when you came. dangman). They (will dry) the tea in the Sdndungau sakho (frangan). sun. (Bathe) the child in the river Gathakho diiisditiu (thukhiii). If you are idle, I (shall have Nang alsia ziiaba ang (nangkho you beaten). biihugan). If he (had made me learn to Bi (dngkho farangba) dngnii read) it would have been Idgi gaham zaagaiiman. well for me. t " Mau-klunig-i-khai " (" mau-nu," to work; " khaiig," particle of completion (21); " i = a," nerj/ative i^avtich (16 B.) ; "khai" [A, — Karan] (word denoting relation between cause and effect), *' on account of not having finished the work." J " Gui-i-kliai," substantive verb negative (22 A.) with particle of causation ('' khai ") attached (" gui " = " guia "). II " Gabdu kham-a-laba " (" khamnu," to do ; ^' a," negative particle ; '' labd," adverbial particle) [.4.--Palam na kardkoi] (16 B.) ; '' Man hualaba " [A, — Man ni diakoi]. SYNTAX — VERBS. 51 He cannot (show) me the horse Bi angnu goraikho (naihiinii) haia. I (caused) the cooUes (to Mia khuhfurkho (haba m^u- finish) the work yesterday. khang hiibai). They could not come (because (Akhd hanaikhai) bisur fainix it rained). haiakhiiise. They could come (because it (Akha hdikhai*) bisur fainu did not rain). habai. (As I did not meet) him, I (Bikho lagu manikhai*) ang soon came back. mamar faifinbai. I like him, and (therefore) I Ang bikho gaham manii, (bini will live with him. khai) dng bizang thagan. You must not (fire) the jungle . Nii khathini hagraidu nang near the house. (at lagainii) man^. (Show) me the way to Beng- Bengbaridu thdngnaif ndma bdri. angnii (dithinanoi hu). (Let me know) all that you Nang mia nunai boibo kho- saw yesterday. rangkho (angnii khithd). 18, 19, 20, 21.— Compound Verbs, &c. Is the water (deep) ? No ... Dui (gathaiij) na ? Niingd. While you (are young), I Nang (zalaubd§) ang rdhkigan. shall care for you. When you (are older), you Nang (dru boic4h manbd) ^ng- must help me. kho hahai khamnii ndnggo. (If you work hard), it will be (Nang sram khamsuba) nang- well for you ; but if you are ha gaham zaagan ; khintu idle, it will not be well. alsid zaaba, hama zaagan. * '' Ha-i-khai ;" '' ha-nu," to rain | •' i," negative particle ; '' khai," " Man-i-khai ;" ^' man-nu," to get J causative particle. t "Thangnai," past participle from 'Hhangnu," to go [^.— Zoa]. t '' Gathau," for '' gathaii danga ": substantive verb omitted. [.1. — Pani da ne ?] § "Ziilaii-ba," for ^' z/daii zaaba": adjective and verb combined; verbal root Q' zaa," be) omitted. (20). 52 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR, We must make haste, or (it Zang mamar thangnii nanggS, will be evening) before we anthaiba zangfurni nu ma- reach home. na saunii'^ (managan f). (It is getting dark) even now. Dabo (bangai khamsi zaanu namaidang. The sun is rising, and it will San ankhatdang, aru mamar soon (be light). (sningganf). We must reach Orang (before (Manaia saunii ^) zangfur evening comes on). Orang mannii nanggo. (When I am rich), I will give (Ang sohoki zaaba) nangnu you some books. khitap hiigan. He (was very strong), and Bi (balagra khaij) gagaini therefore could do his work . haba gathai galluihenu very easily. khamnii habai. It was (dark night) when he Bi fainaiau (hor khamsi §) arrived. man. || I (have eaten) my rice ... Ang mikham (zabai), * "Man-a saimu" (" man," root of ^'maiiiiu," to get, reach ; "a," negative affix ; " sail," over, before ; '' nu," enclitic of emphasis)== before we reach ; before reaching. " Mana-i-a," for " mana zaaia," verbal root omitted (20) ; " saunii," over, before. " Mana," evening ; '' i," euphonic affix combining with preceding vowel to form diphthong " ai " (3 C. D.) ; '' a " negative affix. Preposition, " sau," over, preceded by a negative verb, gives the sense of " before," &c. t '^ Managan "; " niana," evening ) + "gan" = "zaa- 1 will f evening. " Sranggan," '' srdng," light ( gan " (20) J be ( light. t " Balagra-khai," for '' balagra zaanai khai " (20)j through being strong. § " Hor khamsi," R, night dark (''pitch dark"); ''hor " .(night), used in adjectival sense (=:"hor-ni khamsi," darkness of night.) II "Man," for "dangman" (was) (15 B.) ; substantive verb com- bined with noun. (20.) SYNTAX — VERBS. 53 I have (quite finished eating) Ang mikham (zdkhiingbai''^). my rice. This horse (can run) ... Be goraia (khatnii hdgaii). That horse (ran away alto- Boi goraia (gatliainu khat- gether ) . Lingbai ^' ) . Birds (fly) in the air ... Daufra barau (birbaiu J). My little bird (flew away) Angni dau udu'ia mia (bir- yesterday. langbai*):\ The jungle (is burning) ... Hagrii (khanidang). The jungle (has been quite Hagra (kharatrabai ^). burnt up). The Avater is deep, and your Diii gathaii, nangni gamsd dhiiii — loincloth — (will be (sigan). wetted). The river was very deep, and Diiisd gathaiisin dru angni my dhuti (was quite wet gamsa (gatliai sitrabai^). through). Kacharis (like) madh ... Barafra zaii (gaham manu). That sot (will drink up) all Boi fegraia zaii gasiiinukhobo the madh. (langtragan ^). I (saw) a snake here last week Thangnai haftaiau ang beaiinu zibaii mase (nunai). In this village there (arc many Be gamiau zibau (dang- snakes). siiiaf). I (begged) him to help me ... Angkh6hohaikhamnu(bibai). This man is always (begging) Be mansiiia azainu (bi^bai- ba'^uj). * " Klmng," '^ Icing," '^ tra," &c., intensive particles giving the sense of completeness to the action denoted by preceding verbal root. (20 A). t " Dang-su-i'-a " (" dang," substantive verb, 15 B.; " su," intensive particles many ; '' i," euphonic affix ; '^ a," terminal affix) = '' there are many." X '' Bir-ba-'i-u " (" birnu," to fly, + '' bai," affix expressive of con- tinuous progressive action) =: " keep flying about." Cf. '' Binu," to beg ; '' bi-bai-gra," one who begs continuously, — a professional beggar. (19). 54 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAli. I (shall cut) my paddy next Fainai dansidu angni (maikho month. hagan). The people of that village Boi gamini mansilifrd thang- (finished cutting) their nai haftasiau mai (hakhang- paddy last week. bai ^). I (struck the dog and killed) it Ang (siiimakho butharbai f). Dogs (wander about) the town Suimdfra nagarau (thabai^bai- tha'luj). 22. — Defective and Auxiliary Verbs. Is this your goat ? (No) ... Be nangni burma nd ?§ _ (Nungd§). It (was) mine, but it is now Ang ni (man H), dd bini. his. There (is not) one cow in the Gdmiau masebo mosaii (guid). village. (Is there) any rice in the Niidu bdngai mairang (danga house ? No. na) ? Giiia. (If there are no) fowls, I can- Dau (giiiabd^), ang mikham not get my dinner. man-nii haia. You have brought the fire- Nang ban labobai, (niingd wood, (have you not) ? ii'^§) ? * " Khang," ''lang," "tra," &c., intensive particles giving the sense of completeness to the action denoted by preceding verbal root. (20 A). t '^ Bu-tliai-bai " ('' biinii," to strike, + '' tharnu," to kill), to kill by striking. (19). t "Bir-La-i-u" ("birnu," to fly, + ^' bai," affix expressive of con- tinuous progressive action) = " keep flying about." Cf. ^' Binii," to Leg ; ^'bi-bai-gra," one who begs continuously, — a professional beggar. (19). § " Na," used of simple interrogation. " Nunga na," used where an affirmative answer is implied. [.4. — Na hoi ne ?] II '' Man=dangman," was. (15 B.) ^ " Negative verb " guia," in subjunctive mood. (22 A. B.) SYNTAX — VERBS. 55 You (must not drink) dirty ]SranggazridLii(langnumand); water ; if you do, you may langba, mailr liamnii luigaii. get cholera. Men (must not quarrel) : they M a n s u i f r a ( n a n g z 1 a i n li * (ought to love each other). mand) : bisurd (anzlainaid* gaham). All men (must do) their duty Boibo mansiiifra maunu gnang f habakho (maunu nangg6). You (must go) to Orang to- Dini nang Orangdu (thangnii day : come back without ndnggo) : gabau khama Idba delay. faiiin. We (must) sometimes give up Zangfur mobaba mobaba man- our rights, so that there may nu gnangkhobo f garnii not be a quarrel among us. (nanggo), manathu zang- furnigezraubibad zaaid zase. (Under the circumstances), I (Eriiiba J) ang nangnii miing- cannot give you anything. bo hiinii haia. There is (not even a single) Be gamiaunii oma mase pig in this village. grdlia §). * " Nang-zlai-iiu :" " nang-nu," to iiglit| + '^ zlai/' particle denoting '' An-zlai-nu :" '' an-nu," to love / liECH^EOCAL action. " An-zlai-nai-a ;" past part, used in active sense [A. — Ite bite prem kara], equivalent to a verbal noun ; lit., ^' (Their) loving each other is good." (19). t Mau-nii gnang habal " What (men) fdo," — duty \f.22 B ^ Man-nii gnang ] ought to Iget," — rights ) Verbal nouns compounded with the particle of obligation, &c., " gnang." t " Erui-ba :" " errii," thus + '' ba '' (for " zaaba "), if it be ; lit, if it be thus [J.. — Ene hole ; or, Ene hoi zadi]. Subjunctive mood of the substantive verb ^' zaanu " compounded with the adverb '^ erui," thus. (20 B.) § " Gui-li-a," strongly emphatic form of negative substantive verb ^^giiia." (22 B.) 56 OUTLINE KACHARI GHAMMAR. 23.— INDECJJNABLE WORDS.— ADVEEBS, &c. (Where) are you going ? ... Xang (molia) tliangnii?* (When) did the syce come? Sois(moba)i ( faikhu ? (How) can I see in the night- Horau (mabrui) nunii?* time ? « You must come back (quickly) Nang (mamar) faifinnii nang- B go. (How very slowly and badly) (Dini) mansiiifra (mabrui lase the men are working (to- aru hame) haba maudang.- day). Can the horse canter (well) ? Goraid ( gahamiii ) khatnii hagaii na ? Tell the coolies to hoe (deeply) Khulifurkho (gathaiihui) zau- nii khftha. The rain fell (heavily) last Thangnai: horau akha ha (sii)- night. bai.f The leaf is coming out (in Bilai (zabrahui) ankhatdang great quantities). Dry the tea (slowly and (Lase Am hawadhanhiii) sa carefully). bilai fran. My head pains me (greatly) Kliara sj:i(su)dang.f Take some medicme (at once) . (Danii) bangai muhkho za. Try to sleep (soundly) ... ( Gahamhui ) udiinu uphai klam. They came to Tezpur (alto- Bisur (lagusc) Tezpuraii faibai, getlier), but the boy went khintu gathaa (hatsingluii) back (alone). thangiinbai. I * ''Thaiig-nu"l Infinitives used elliptically with force of Indicative "Nu-nu" ...j Mood in Interrogative sentences. (14 B). t " Sa-su-dang," — "sa-nu," to be in pain") -|- '' su/' intensive i^irticle. " Ha-su-Lai,"—'' lia-nu," to rain J (21 A). SYNTAX — ^PRErOSITIONS, CONJUNCTIONS, ETC. 57 There were (only) three men Angfai(bd),nMusdtham man- in the house (when) I came siii (bala) dangman. The coolie was ill (yesterday), (Mia) khulid lam zaadailgman but is well again (to-day). khinthu (dini) gaham zda- dang. I cannot come (to-morrow), (Gabun) fainti haia, khinthu though I may (on the day ( sapneha fainii ) hagaii, after). dang.^ (Although) we break God's Iswarni bidhan sefai (babu f ), law, He loves us. Bi zangfurkh6 anii. 24, 25, 26.— PREPOSITIONS, CONJUNCTIONS, &c. Come (into) the house (with) Ang (zang) nil sing(au) fai, me. ^ Are you going (as far as) Nang Tezpur (ha lagi) thang- Tezpur ? niij na? Put the saddle (on) the horse. Goraini (saiau) zim kha. Do not sit (under) a tree when Akha mablipbd bangfangni it is lightening. (singau) dd zii. Walk on (before) me ... Angni (sigang) thabai lang. Go home (before) it gets dark Khamsi zaaia (saunii) nuiau thang. He is ploughing ( in the Dubli ( gezrau ) bi haloi middle) of the field. oidang. *''Dang" [^i. — Hobola, perhaps, maybe], adverb used indepen- dently at end of sentences. t " Ba-bu" [^1.— Zadio, although, even if], ahvavs used as affix to the verb. X " Thang-nu," Infinitive used interrogatively as an Indicative. (14 B). I 58 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. Take two rupees (from) the Mansui(nifrai) tliakha thainui man and give them (to) the lananoi * gatha(nu)hii. boy. Light the fire (and) prepare At su(nanoi ^) mikham sang, dinner. It rained heavily ; (therefore) Akha hasiinai * (khai) ang I could not come. fainii haidkhuise. This cloth is (neither) white Be hia gafiit(bo niinga), (nor) black. gasam(bo niinga). If you work well, you shall be Nanggahamhiuhabamau(bd), rewarded. bakhshish mangan. I shall praise you (if) you are Nang gaham(bd) dng nang- good ; (otherwise), I shall kho prasansa khamgan ; not like you. (mingabaf), ang gaham mana. I shot at the tiger (and killed Ang mosakho gau(thatbai J). it). (0) Sir, I am starving ; give (Hai) sahib, ang ukhii^inanoi me a little food. thoinu namaidang ; angnii bangai mikham hu. (Look there !) the coolies are (Haanoi !) khulifra buzlai- striking each other. dang.|| * " La-na-noi," " sunanoi,"] participles used instead of conjunctions ^' Hd-su-nai-khai," J (25). t " Niing-a-ba," subjunctive mood of negative verb, " nungd " (22 A), If (you) are not (good), i.e., otherwise. t"Gau4hat-bai;" force of the two verbs '' sbot " and " killed " expressed by the compound verb, ^' gtiu-tliat-bai " [^1. — Giiliai marilow], i.e., " shot at with fatal effect." (19.) II " Bu-zlai-dang :" " bu," beat, + " zlai," particle denoting re- flexive, reciprocal action. (19 C). MISCELLANEOUS PHRASES. 59 MISCELLANEOUS PHRASES. I. — Travel. How far is it from Tezpur to Tezpurnifrai Oranglia lagi Oraiig ? bese gazan ? ^^ It will be hard to get there in Sanseau bikho manhuiiiu f one day. than ^ zaagan. You will want three or four Bikho khamnu matham md- horses to do it. brui gorai nanggan. Is the road good ? ... Ali lamaia gaham na? Yes, but the bridges are bad. . . Niinggo, khintu dalengfrd hama. You will have to cross three (Dalengguie J) diiisdkho man- or four (unbridged) rivers. tham manbrui batnii nang- gan. Are there any rest-houses on Lama khathiau ddk nii dang the way ? na sriiia ? Yes, three or four ... Niinggo, gangtham gangbrui danga. Is there danger of seeing bears Lamaiau thangniau § mafur or tigers on the road ? ba mosakho ankhatnai ginii nanggo na nanga. Not in the day-time, but they Sanau ginii minga, khintu horai haru. sometimes come out at night. horau mobaba mobaba ank- * " Thau " [ J.—Tan] ; '' hathi " [ J.— Hati]. In words borrowed from other languages, the Kacharis often substitute an aspirated consonant for an unaspirated one at the beginning of a word or syllable; e,(j.^ " kintu," becomes " khintu," &c. (27 A). t '' Manhuinu," — '' man-hrii-nu " — \_A, — Pabogoi], to reach a place in travelling. r'Daleng guie,"— '' daleng," bridge + " guie," (for "grda,") negative verbal particle (22 A), bridgeless [.1. — Daleng nai kia]. § '' Thang-ni-au," present participle in locative case, " in going along on the road " [.1. — Btitat jao/ite]. 60 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. I shall want two elephants for Bastliunii lagi hathi ^ maniii my baggage. nanggan. If there are no elephants, tell Hathi ^ giiiaba khulifurkho the mouzadar to send coolies. hatnii mouzahdarnu khitha. I can get you twenty coolies Gabun nangnii lagi ekliuri to-morrow; but you must khulifrahunu hagaii, khintu pay them four annas a day. bisurnu nang saiifrimbo "j* hikifaf hikifii hunii nanggo. Can I get supplies easily at Orangau ang gdrQaihiii rasad Orang ? mannii hagaii na ? Yes, but you must give notice Niinggo, khintu nang fainai of your coming beforehand. aglanii batra hiinii nanggo. What is the price of ducks Boiau J Mngsiini dora bese ? there? ^^' ^ How many foAvls can be Thakha thaiseau bese dau bought for a rupee ? Five bainii hagaii ? Maba ba or six. marii. Tell the mouzahdar to collect Mouzahdarnii khitha bano-ai some firewood and dhd7i for ban aru gorainii lagi mai the horses. labothang. JDJimi is very cheap, — only 10 Maini dora kham§; monfaiau annas a maund. ana zii bala. * " Than " [J. -Tan] ; " liatlii " [.4.-Hati]. In words borroAved from other languages, the Kacharis often substitute an aspirated consonant for an unaspirated one at the beginning of a word or syllable : e,g.y " kintu,'* become "khintu," &c. (27 A). t"San-frim-bo,"— "san," (l)sun; (2) day+1 ..." ((P.. 5 J " ulistrihutive " Hikifa,"-~'-'hiki" [ J.— Sild] 4 annas 4- "fd "j 1^'"'*^^^^^^ " Boiau," 1 ^- - _ . ^ ( near objects. ,. -^,, ,, Ithere ; used of coiiii)aratiyelY^ ;'. iiiau, J I ^'cinote distances. § " Kham ;" [J.— Kam] ^ "Khintu ;" [J. — Kintu] | the unaspirated Initial consonant beincr " Kliaran ;" [A. — Karan] [ changed into an aspirated one. " Fungzani ;" [.!.— Piia] J 'each day. .4annasmc/i. MISCELLANEOUS PHRASES. 61 Can good water be obtained near the bungalow ? Yes, there is a river close at hand. Tell the mandals and gaon- burhas to meet me at the bungalow early in the morning. What kind of people live in this mouzah, — Kacharis or Hindus ? Some are Kacharis, some Hindus. Can I get any salt or sugar at the shop ? Yes, but there are no potatoes Call me early, for I must march to Udalguri to-morrow. Banglani khathidu dui gaham mangaii na ? Niinggo, gathai' khathiaunii duisa danga. Banglaiau fungzani* angkho lagLi mannu mandal aru gambrafurnii khitha. Be mouzaiau ma mansuid thaiii ; Bara ba Harsa.f Khaisc Bara, khaise Harsa. Dakhanau bdns^ai sano^khrui ba giirdiii J mannii hagaii na ? Niinggo, khintu ^ tha giiia. '~^ Fungzani angkho ling ; kharan ^ gabun Udalgiiridu thangnu minggan. II. CONVEESATION WITH A MoUZAHDAR. Are the rice- crops doing well in your mouzah ? Yes, Sir, but we want more rain. You should make water - channels, and bring water from the rivers. Nangni mouzaiau mai gaham- hiii ankhatdang na ? Niinggo, saheb, khintu akhd , zabrahiii nanggo. Nang dangga zaunanoi diiis- anifrai did labonii nanggo. Kham ;" [^.— Kam] 1 Kliintu ;" \^A, — Kintn] ' tliemiaspirated initial consonant being Kluiran ; [.]. KaranJ j changed into an aspirated one. '^ Fungzani;" [.4.— Pdajj t " Har-sii," the word used by Kacharis to designate all foreigners and outsiders ; a non-Kachari (=" Gentile," '' Barbarian, &c.") X " Gurdid ;" '' giir " [.!.— Molasses] + " did," water ; molasses-water. C/. '' Dau dili " {liU, '' fowl's water "), egg. 62 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. We Kacharis of the Duars Zaiig Duarau thanai Barafra always do that. azainii bibaidi khamu. Have you got in the revenue Be basarni khazana nang za- for this year ? khamnai na ? I have collected more than Khauseniikhri zabra zakham- one-half, but not all. bai ; khintu gaseniikhobii zakham'akhiii. Have 3^ou repaired all your N"angni boibo ali aru daleng- roads and bridges ? fur'^kho thik khambai na ? The roads are in good order, Alifra gahamhui danga, khintu but it is difficult to get dalengfranu lagi bangfang timber for the bridges. mannii guia. You must always put your Disimbar mangsiini agldnu roads in order before De- nangni tilifurkho gaham cember ; then the ryots will khamnii nanggo ; bibai'- have time to cut their rice. dibla ^ raiatfni mai hanu far "j* mangan. I hope there is no cholera or Nangni mouzaiau mailr ba ai- small-pox in your rnouzah. biram giiia hanniinoi akha J khamdang. There have been a few cases Mailr surhaba || surhaba zaa- of cholera, but there are dangman, khintu da guia. none now. ~ * '' Bibaidi-bla :" " bibaidi," tlms, so ; " bid " (for '' zaabla "), sub- junctive mood from '' zaanu," to be ; " if it be so," i.e., then. t ^'Far" [A. — Par]— ''samoi ;" time, leisure, opportunity, &c. i ^'Akha" [.!.— Asa, hope], the guttural aspirate '' kh " taking the place of the sibilant '^ s," a rule to which there are few, if any, exceptions in words borrowed from other languages by Kacharis. (27 D.) II '' Sur-ha-bd," possessive case of adjective pronoun, " surba,". compounded from " siu' " [.!.— Kon] and " ba," indefinite particle [.4.— Konoba.] A^.Z?.— The case-ending '4ia," is attached directly to the radical part of the word and placed before the indefinite qualifying particle, <'ba." MISCELLANEOUS PHRASES. 63 Tell your people not to eat unripe fruit. Be very careful not to let them drink dirty water. They must not take drinking- water from the tank in which they bathe. Make them keep their home- steads clean and free from jungle. Are there many opium-eaters in this mouzah ? Only a few ; the Kacharis do not eat much opium : they drink madh and photikd. A little madh is good some- times ; but the Kacharis drink too much. They do not drink much in their own villages ; they drink when they meet their friends at the market. It would be a good thing, if there were no liquor-shops near the market-place. Nangni mansuifurnii khithd, fitliai gatliaiig da zathang. Hawadhan khamnanoi bisur- kho gazri diii langnii da hii. Bisur dugi/inai pukhrinifrai langnai diii langnii mana."^ Bisurni nuni khathiau thanai mozang aru hagrai giiie f rakhinii hii. Be mouzaiau khani zanai mansui dangsiiia J na ? Bangai bala danga ; Barafra gabang khani zaia : bisur zaii iithikhasii || langii. Mobaba mobaba bangai zaii langnai gaham ; khintu Barafra zabranii langu. Gagaini gamiau thaba gabang zaii langfi ; hathau khiirma- furkho lagu manba zabra- hiii langii. Hathiini khathiau zaii fimnai dakhan giiiaba gaham. *"Man-a," negative form of '' mannu," with ethical sense [.i. — ■ Na pai], "ought not. " t '' Hagra guie :" " hagra," jungle f " giii^," negative verb, the final syllable of the latter Avord being slightly changed in composition. (22A.) i " Dang-su-i-a," root of the substantive verb, " dang " (is, are) followed by intensive particle, " sii," with the final letter of which the euphonic " i " is combined^ forming the diphthong " Tii." II " Fithikha-su :" '' su," euphonic enclitic, here almost = " and " [.1.— Madh photika-o, madh and photika]. 64 OUTLINE KACIIARI GRAMMAR. Then we should not find so Boibai'diblii, dini zese fedang, much drunkenness as we aba bise fcnai mansuifurkho now do. manglagaiinian.'^ Is there any tea-factory in Nangni mouzaiau sa bari your mouzdh ? danga na ? Yes ; there is a large one about Niinggo; safatsiiimailthamauf three miles to the north. sa bari gangse gadit dang. Some of my ryots go there Angni raiatfra khaise boiau to work ; else they could not haba maunii thangu ; bibaidi pay their rent. niingaba, bisur khazana himii haia. III. — Tea-factory Talk with Kachari Labourers, &c. Why do you come to my KTangsur angni baghisau garden ? manii faidang ? We come to look for work, Sahib, zangfur habd namainii sir. faidang. Are you willing to stay on my Basarse angni bdghisau nang- garden for the whole year ? sur thanii namaiu na ? Yes, sir, if you will let us do Niinggo, saheb, zangfurnu " doubles " sometimes. mobaba mobaba dabal khamnu hiiba. How much do you want a Danfrimbo bcsc mannu na- month ? main ? Five rupees, with hahhsliisli Thaiba, dru mobaba mobdbd now and then. bakhshish liugan. Will you give me an agree- Ang nangsurnu haulat hiiba ment if I give you an nangsur {ingnii agrimint advance ? - hiigan na ? We Avill give an agreement Basarseni bala agrimint hiigan. for one year only. * " Man-gla-gaii-man," past tense siibjnnctivo in negative form of the verb, '' mannii," to get, find, meet ^vith. t " Tham-du," numeral " tliam " (three), ^vith case-ending (locative) attached. I MISCELLANEOUS PHRASES. 65 What work have you done Dini nangsur ma haba to-day ? maukhu ? ^ Your hoeing is bad ; you must Xangsur kharai zaunai^ f clear the roots of the plants hama ; bangf angfurni rada- from jungle. nifrai hagrakho garnii nanggo. How many doubles at hoeing Kharai zauniau be hapthdsiiiu have you done this week ? bese dabal khlamnai ? You will have to roll leaf Gabun nangsur bilaikho nanu to-morrow. nanggan. You must go to work earlier Mianiikhri fungzamia'ninii hd- in the morning than you h& maunii thdngnu nanggo, did yesterday. If you roll leaf in the morning, Fungzani bilai nanaiba, ang I will allow you a double sanzufuau J kharai zauniau f at the hoe in the afternoon. dabal manse hiigan. You must not merely scrape Nangsur ha sannii bala nanga ; the ground ; but strike the khintu gahamhui zaunanoi hoe well into the soil, and hakho fafinnanoi hii. turn it over. Why has your wife not gone Nangni hingzhaua dini manii to pluck leaf to-day ? bilai khanii thangakhiii ? Is she not well ? Gome to the Bini madama § gaham niinga bungalow, and I will give na? Banglaiau fai, aru binu you some medicine for her. lagi ang nangnii bdngai miili hiigan. * " Maii-khii," abnormal form of past tense, used in asking questions. (14 B.) t '' Kharai zau-nai-a," past participle used as a verbal noun in nominative case. [J. — Tomar kodal para karam]. (14 C.) " Kharai zau-ni-au," present participle used as verbal noun in locative case ; " in hoeing," i.e.^ at the hoe. (14 C.) t " San-zu-fu-au," locative case of "sanzufu" [J. — Dupar bclit], noon ; mid-day. § " Madam-d," body. Lit., " Is her body not well?" [^.—Tair ga bhal na hoi ne ?] K 66 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR, Report to me she is better. Some of your children might go out to pluck leaf ; they will get two pice a seer. If all your family pluck leaf, they will get 15 or 20 rupees a month in a good flush. Some of our children wish to go to school. Very well; I will open a school for them in the cold weather. Is there a river near the fac- tory ? We Kacharis like to live where we can catch fish for ourselves. Yes ; there is a river with plenty of fish. Take care you do not drink too much madh when you go to the market. to-morrow, if Bini mfidama gaham hA hamd, gabun angnii khitha. Nangni gathafra khaise an- khatnanoi bilai kh<4nu ha- gaii ; scrfiiiau * phoisa gatne mangan. Nangni forial boibo bilai kha- ba, bilai zabra zaabla dan- faiau * pandra ba ekhuri thakha mangan. Zangfurni gathafra khaise iskulau thangnii namaiii. Gaham; gazang bathniu bisur- ni lagi iskul fathigan. Baghisani khathiau diiisa danga na ? Zerau zangfur gagainu na hamnii hagaii, zangfur Barafra boiaunii thanu gaham manii. Niinggo ; na thasimai f diiisd danga. Nangsur hdthdu thangba, man himanoi zabra zaii dalang. ^ J" S^r-fai-aii :" '' s6r " (si s6r " (sir) ...]+'' fa," distributive particle ; + montlij locative case-ending. N,B, — In both these instances the vowel '' i " is euphonically inserted betAveen the distributive particle '^ fa " and the case-ending " du," this vowel combining with the preceding " a " to form the diphthong " di." t " Na thd-su-nai" [A. — Balmt mds thakd], a compound adjective qualifying^ the noun " driisa." *' Tha-sii-nai," past participle from " thanu," to be, remain, — the intensive particle "sii" ( = many, much) being inserted between the verbal root " tha " and the participial »ffix"nai." (UC). READING LESSONS. 67 READING LESSONS. The short series of Reading Lessons given in the follow- ing pages, will afford the student some insight into the more prominent characteristics of the language when thrown into the form of continuous narrative. They may he divided into three groups : iSFos. l-^S are translations from a school-book which is highly popular in the Kachari village schools of this district, the " Assamese Second Reader," published at the American Mission Press, Sibsagar ; Nos. 9 — 11 are translations of the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, the texts for translation being taken from the Assamese Ver- sion of the Book of Common Prayer ; while the third group, which is perhaps the most important, consists of original compositions descri^^tive of some of the more prominent features of Kachari village life, religious, social, domestic, &c. These last chapters (Nos. 12 — 17) have for the most part been compiled by J. Dhan Singh, a Kachari native of Silputd mouzah, Chatgari Duar, in the Mangaldai sub-division of this (Darrang) district. The learner should carefully endeavour from the first to distinguish between what is radical and essential in a word, and what is merely infiectional and formative. Under tliis latter head are, of course, comprised the case-endings of nouns, the modal and temporal affixes of verbs, enclitic particles, &c. Thus in the word, " Thang-ni-au-nu " ('* even while going,") each syllable, as it were, makes a distinct contribution to the meaning of the whole word. We have first the radical (root) IDart of the word, 'Hluing," go ; " ni " is the termination of the present particii:)le, "thang-ni," going ; ''au" is the case-ending (locative) denoting the time, place, &c., of the act of going — " thang-ni-au," in (=when) going; while the last syllable, "nu," is a kind of euphonic enclitic, which perhaps serves slightly to strengthen the sense of the whole word, and may 6S OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. conveniently be rendered by " even," or some equivalent term. The learner will find his progress in acquiring a knowledge of Kachari materially aided by constantly endeavouring to analyse all the longer w^ords, and ascertaining how much each part of any word contributes towards the meaning of the whole: and the compiler has endeavoured to assist him in carrying out this plan in two ways ; viz,, 1, by separating (by means of a hyphen) the radical from the inflectional part of a word, in the first three or four sections of the Reading Lessons ; and 2, by analysing, or otherwise explaining, some of the more difficult words and unusual forms of expression, in foot-notes appended to each lesson. With this assistance and with that of a brief Vocabulary appended to the Lessons, a learner of average ability and fair powers of application ought not to find any insuper- able difficulty in mastering the meaning of the Lessons, though the help of an intelligent Kachari {e.g., a mandal or mou- zahdar) may at times be desirable, especially in reading the last six or eight sections. I^,B. — Words adopted from the Assamese, &c., when their form has .undergone any material change, are indicated by an [A.] in brackets ; but it has not been thought necessary to adopt this practice in all cases, i.e., in words which have been so slightly (if at all) changed, that they can hardly fail to be recognised at once by every average Assamese scholar. 1.— THE SHEEP. Menda mungbo hdba mtili-a, khintu [A.] bi-ni khaman zang gaham hi da-i-ii ; bi-ni fisii-fra hatbai bai-iii bai-iii gele-u. Menda ba bi-ni f isa-kli6 dukhu [A.] da hu, aru bifar-kho dr-nii liigi suima-kho da thin ; manathii bi-sur haza [A.] rau- ni-bo mungbo hani kham-d. Mai, sabai, gangsa zdnii Idgi menda gaham man-ii. Bi- kho sangkhrui hu-nu-noi gangsa gaham-iii zd-hu-ba, bi gagai- ni guriVi khaman dang-nu Idgi hii-i-u. READING LESSONS. 69 2.— THE DOG. Siiimai-a hor-au nil riiklii-ii ; hi sikliau iiu-bM sang-u ; dan-srang^ zaa-ba sang-sii-i-u.'l* Suimai-a menda ba masaii-far-kho ar-ii, arii babeba babeba siiimaia mansui-kho-bo ar-ii. Bi-kho ikbam drii bidat zd-hu-nii ming-go ; hi mudii-bai tha-ni-au,J bi-ni atbeng bd lanzdi-au da ga. Suimai-a mau-nu mimgbo haba gui-e khai dukhia man- sui-a zabni suima fisf-ni.-a gaham iiiing-a. 3.— THE CAT. Mauzi inzat bongga inzat ham-nii lagi gaham. Zang-fra mauzi-klio miii miii hamia-noi ling-ii. Mauzi-kho bundiii zd-nu hu. . Mauzi-a giir-giirai-dang, khna-saiig nai. Zebld bi-ha zobra zaa-i-ii, aba^nia giir-giirai-a. Mauzi-ni hatliai asiigur zabra gafat. Bi-ni khaman arii lanzai bii-bla bi khur-u arii ar-ii. Mauzi-a khamsi-au-bo nu-i-ii. Hor-au inzat dal halid [A.] namai-bai-u. Nai-liat nai, boi mauzi-a siiimdi-a ham-gan han-na-noi gi-na-noi anthai-ni goru-ni sai-au uthi-na-noi tba- dang. Miiuzi-ni khaman gurui arii gudiing nang-ii. Zebla akhd ba gazdng-nai zaa-i-ii, abaniii bi-kho baizzha lagi da hu hat. * " Dim-srang " (" tlaii/' moon, month ; " sning," light), moon- hght. t ^' Sang-sii-i-u :" " t^ang-nu," to bark ; " su," intensive particle — barks nmcli. t " Tha-ni-au :" pres. part. loc. case, from/' tlia-nu,*' to remain, continue ; in his remaining, i,e., while he remains (asleep)* 70 OUTLINE KACHAEI GKAMMAR. 4.— THE TIGEK. Mosa-ni ubzi-nai [A.] tliauni Asid. Cliin Arn Tatar des- du-bo mosa man-u, khintu Hindustlian, Banggal, Man aru Assam des-au zabni dang-a. Zer-iiu liatlii drii ganda thdi-u, boi-au-nu mosdi-a-bo thai-ii. Hingha-nii-khri mosd-ni bala [A.] bdngai kham, [A.] khintu gubun zanthu-nu-khri bi-ba brap- nai gassii ; theo-bo gubun atheng thang-briii ^ zantbu-nii-khri bi-kbo nai-nii mozang^ Bi-ni barana fakhra sikhra arthat [A.] fat-se gaza, fat-se gasam ; bi-ni khai mansiii-a bi-kho dinkhia fatia ban -.11.- ,;Bi;ni gada dru udui bdngai gufiit^, babe-bd Mbe-b4mosdi-iiliingha-nihaman [A.] gazaii arii galau, khaise-d b{-ni-;kHi*a^lbo..b,a«iigai gidit dang-a. Iiirop, Amerika bi-far inaiii zi zi des-au mosa tbai-d, bi bi des-au lagi fisi-nai mosd lang-nd-noi thakha man-nii aba-iii [A.] garni gami thi^thi-bai- bai'''-u. Mosai-a san-au zabra-hm thdbai-a ; zebla ukhiii-sui-ii ndiba did gang-iij aba hagra-ni-frai ankhar-na-noi tbang-nd- noi bila-ni khatbi kbatbi mosaii, oma namai-bdi-ii ; aru moba- bd mobd-bd mansiii-kho-bo sal-a [A.] nai-na-noi baiii-nd-noi zdi-ii. Mosdi-d mabd-briii-bo kbaursc mansui-ni tboi sab-nii man-bdj gubun omd-ni thoi bidat-nu-khri mansui-kho gathdu- sin man-ii, abdnid zebldbd mansiii-kho-nu namai-bdi-ii. Mosd bimdi-d basar-fdi-du md-tbam md-brui eruibai fisd din-hu-i-u. Aru bdhd-se bud fisd din'-hu-nd-noi-'^nu mosd bimdi-d sagremd zdai-ii han-nd-noi frai [A.] boi-bii mansiii- frd man fdtbdi-ii drii kbithdi-u. 5.— THE lUimOCEROS. Ganda khulu [A.] ne danga ; Idmlusebd manse gong, khuluselid manne gong, thdiu : manse gong tbdnai kbuluni ubzinai [A.] thdunid Asid, manne gong tbdnai kbuludkb6 * " Atheng tliang-brui ;" llLj " four feet ;" Le., four-footed animal ; quadruped. READING LESSONS. 71 Afrik/iu manii. Ganda nainii lagi gathai gdzri, dru baranaLo liatliini baidi bangai gasam. Bini madamau khaman guia, khintu bigiira tliai^ bar [A.] razd, dru ebrab ebrab khorbla khorbli zaananoi thaiu. Athengfra gusung, dru lanzdid mudoi, . ■ khintu lanzdini biziid guar. Lanzainl biziini fatnethingbo gard [A.] khaman thdiii. Sdiduni gushthoid gordiai [A.] sdiduni gushthoi baidi ; khintu bini khri galau drii bar gard. Mdbd hamnu higi drii mobdbd bangfangni dalaifar safainii lagi bi zangnu gubun zanthu- niikhri bar sala [A.] manii. Singduni gunthutrid thai,* mosaiini gunthutri baidi. Khamdid gidit, gafdt, drii. thid [A.] zdandnoi thdiii. Bi sesd khamd baidi khamd gathang,*}" bini khai zdnidu ndibd [A.] mudiildngnidu mdbd^bruibd'lirii- mdbd hai [A.] khndbd, abdnid gasangndnoi khara dikhdngndnoi bi haikho khnd^sangndnoi'^niij hasii Idngii. Megan mudoi, oradni megan baidi nuiii. Megan gabdng gazan gathangf nue-khai gabdng gazdnhd Idgi nud ; bini sigdngdu ginai manbd, abd miingbo naid hxbd mdmar beg [A.] hundnoi hasii Idngii. Gandahd ganthangni sdidu zabamni singdu bar gard gong thdiii : babebdhd bi gongd mu-se'- nii-khri^''-bo galau, drii babebdhd gusiingbo thaiu. Gandaid bi gongdu bar bala manii. Babebd hdgrdni zanthu [A.] ganda zang zudha [A.] khambd, abd bi bini gong zang gagaikho rdkhiu [A.] Mosdid gandakho bala khamnu lidid, hdthimlkhri zdbrd giu, mdnathu gandani sigdngdu thdngbd, bi gong zang mosdkho suthdru. * "Thai," particle used absolutely [A.— Hole]. "Bigiira thai," as to its skin : " gunthutrid thai," as regards its lips, &c. t " Gathang," fully endoAved ^vith some physical faculty ; e.g. — " Khama gathang," quick and keen of hearing. " Megan gathang," quick and keen-sighted. X " Khna^sangnanoi'''nu " ("khna," to hear; "sang," euphonic affix ; " ntinoi," conjunctive participle ; " nu," enclitic), on hearing ; when it hears. 72 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. Mdba Imsiiniau hagraiau khatlangba mudoi bangf angfar man- babo gong zang khunda [A.] marinanoi sefailangu. Bini manamsiinai haktia [A.] sar, binikhai surba sikhari [A.] mansiiifra barbaithing * thangba hi mamar manamnai manii ; binikhai sikliarifra sikliar kliamnii tliangniau bini linfatitliing thangii ; arii gandafr^i mudiilangba, aba sikharia sri sri thang- ndnoi gdutharu. Gandafra hathini baidi thafa zdananoi thaiu, mane mase- hiiisti tbaiii. Arii khagra bariii [A.] nalbariii [A.] ingkhar barui [A.] bebaidi hagrau bisur thaiii. Mais baidihiii habruau gadoi lain, aru omd baidi hakh-hakh-aiu [A.] Gandani bida- nikho Bamon [A.] arii Hindufra gathar hannanoi zaiu, khintu gabang gathau nunga : bi gangsa arii bangf ang dalaifar zaiii. 6.~-THE CUNNING FISHERMAN. Sdse zdluaia [A.] diiisaiau ze zang na gudba eriiisii mozang mtise na mannaisiiif ze [A.] bini baidi na gubuna manthang sdri [A.] raubo nuakbiiinu. Nakho mannanoi zaludia manau [A.] guninaisiiif ze [A.] be nakho hathau [A.] fanbd bdngai thakha mangan, khintu razani [A.] sigangtxu Mngbd bi nunanoi hanthoh [A.] zaananoi angkhobo hanthoh kham- gan. Bekhonii bhiibindnoi [A.] zaluaia nakho hinanoi razjini sigdngdu thiingnaisiii.f Nakho nundnoi raztiia zabranii rangga [A.] mannanoi zdluainii abanu 100 thakhd [A.] hiinii agyd [A.] khlamnaisiii.f Bidunii manthrid [A.] boi khordng * " Bar-bai-thing :" " bar," wind ; " bai," to move, travel ; " tiling," side, direction ; side from which the wind is coming ; to windward. t " Mannai-stii," ^' thangnai-sui," &c. In these verbs the last syhable (" sui,") seems to affect the sense very slightly, if at all ; it may, perhaps, be regarded as a euphonic enclitic, like the syllables " bo " and " nu " so frequently used with nouns, pronouns, and adjectives. READING LESSONS. 73 klmananoi liama maniianoi razaniau klii^tlianai'^sui,^ baliii,'}' Masc iiaiaunu 100 tliakha luinaia usit [A.] minga. liazaia kliitlianaisui,^ Aug klianse agya klilambai, luiiaba lazi [A.] mangaii. Manthria razaiiu biidi [A.] hunaisiii,* balui,*)* Be naia zu n4 zla biklio nangtliang zaluainiau sangthang ; zld hanba ziikho, zii lianba, anthai zlaklio labonu lagi zjiluainii dgya khlam; arii luguni nakho labonanoi hunu liaiaba thakha mand zaagan, eriii hannanoif khitlia. Abd razaia mantlirini budi zangnu zaluaikho sangnaisui, baliii.! Be naia zii mi zla? Zaluaia khithanaisiii,'^ Horgodeo, [A..] be naui zlaba niinga zuba minga, be khasia [A.] Be khorang khnaminoi razaia mmiui mmiui binti aru 100 thakha hatha [A.] liunaisui. Razaia dglaiaa 100 thakhasii hiidangman, khintu manthrini budizang budigrangj zaluaia aru 100 manminoi 200 thakha khana lananoi rangga man zang niiiau thangnaisiii. 7.— THE SECRET OF XEVER-FAILING CHEER- FULNESS. (From the " Larar Mittra.") Ithali desni [A.] sase gasaiha [A.] rangga [A.] arii hanthoh [A.] zaanai swabhao [A.] dangman. Bmi za^ginai''- * '' Maniiai-sui," " thangaai-suiV &c. In these verbs the last syllable (" siii/') seems to affect tlie sense very slightly, if at all ; it may, perhaps, be regarded as a enphoiiic enclitic, like the syllables '' bo " and " nu " so frequently used with nouns, pronouns, and adjectives. t " Balui." This is the Kachari equivalent (probably the same word) for the Assamese, " buli," and serves to introduce direct narrative or the actual words of a speaker, and may be considered to take the place of inverted commas. Much the same meaning is conveyed hy the word, " hannanoi," conjunctive participle of the verb, " liannu," to say (" saying.") t '' Grang." This word is used nuich like " gnang ;" i.e., it is combined with nouns to form iidjectives ; t'.y., " Budigrang,'' possessed of knowledge, shrewd, &c. I. 74 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAll. niniifrai ziibrdnii cluklmau gagiai'dangman, kliintu bi mobld- biibo bezar [A.] mannai zaaiaman.* Biiii bebaidi gaham swabhao nunanoi, bini khurmil sased bar dsarit [A.] zaaminoi, sanse biniau sangnaisui, Heloi, khurma ! nang angkho azainii rangga zaanaini hankhet [A.] farangnu hagaii na ? Boiaunii boi burai mabazanii [A.] raifinnaisui,'(' baliii, Ang gathai hasthahiii [A.] angni liankhet farangnu hagaii, mdnatliii angni meganni asaran [A.] zang ang azuinu rangga zdabai thaiu. Kliintru bini khurmaid be khorang buzi [A.] manikhaijj bi eriii hannanoi sefainanoi khithanaisui. Ang zi [A.] awastluiiaunu [A.] thaiu, agiaia swarga [A.] thing megan dikhangnanoi naiii, arii bhabiu [A.] ze biau thang- naidsu || angha beau gahai haba, amphare ang frithibini [A.] singau naiu, dru bhabiu ze ang thoiba beau angnii bdngai bahl thduni nanggan ; amphare ang frithibini fatbruithingbo naiminoi bhabiu ze beau angntikhribo dukhia dangsiiia.§ Zerau eruihai thik [A.] hukhu [A.] aru zerau zangfarni boibo dukhu [A.] aru bhabami [A.] zupgan, bikho mithigo. Binikhai bezar [A.j khlamnai giiia. * '' Zdiiiaman," for " ziuiia dangman" [^J. — No poa asil]. t '' Rai-fiii-nai-sui :" raiiiu," to speak ; " fin " (faifin), reflexive, — to speak back, to answer. t " Man-i-khai :" " mani,'' negative form of the verb '' niannu," to get, obtain; negative affix ''a" giving place to " i." [^J. — No poa r karane.] II '' Thangnai-a-su :" past part, of verb " tliangnu," to go, with affix C a") of nominative case, used as a nonn ; " the going ;'' '' su," enchtic. § '' Dang-srd-a ;" substantive verb, " danga," Avith intensive par- ticle " su " appended, here nsed numcrkaUy ; " there are many :'' " i " affixed to " su " eni)honically. HEADING LESSONS. 75 8.— DUTY OF CHILDREN TO THEIR P^-RENTS. (From the "Larar Mittra.") Nangni namfa namakho an, manathu bfsur nangkho annanoi zaVinai'^nifrai nangkho frathifalan [A.] khlamdang. Zebla nang gathai galfii man"^ aru rainii M thabainii haiif giibnanoi bisarkho dikliar hiidangman, ablabo bisar nangkho frathifal [A.] khlambai. Nangnii lagi namfa naraa zerui ansuiii, bibaidi aru siir danga ? nangkho farangnu lagi bibaidi dukhu siir hahidang [A.] ? nang zikhini rangdang, bikho siir farangdang ? nangkho zanii aru udiinu em bananoi sur himai ? nangni ranggaau sur rangga manii ? aru nangni dukhuau sur dukhu manii ? nang lamzaabaj siir anii aru frathifahan [A.] khhunii ? siir nangni gaham zaanii Iswarkho khulumii ? Nangni namfll namakho maina [A.] kham. Nangnii liigi 7A gaham, bikho bisur nangnu sari zabranii mithigo, dru bfsur nangkho azainii gyani [A.] arii hukhia [A.] zaanu lubiiiii. Nangni namf\i nama lamzaabhij ba dukhuau gaglaiba, bisurkho hukhia khlamnii nang zathan [A.] khlam, aru bisur dukhia zaabla frathifalan khhira. Nangni khai bisur besfe khlamdang, aru zi dukhu hahidang, bikho mobUba da bdugar. 9.— THE APOSTLES' CREED. Akhrangsd drii frithibi srazigra boiniisdri balagrdsin || afd faram [A.] Iswanikho ilng biswds [A.] khl^mii. * '' Galui man," for " galui dangman," were young, helpless. t " Hai-i* ;" unable, })owerles.s ; root, " ha " (to be able), with negative affix "i" (for ''ti"), "i" being inserted euphonically, — a usage of frequent occurrence in Kachari composition. t " Lam-zaa-ba ;" ^Mam," fever (ague), with verb "zaanu," to be, in subjunctive mood, when you had fever ('' Lam zaanu," to have fever.) II " Boinu-sari bala-gra-sin :" " hoinu-sari," than all ; " bala " [ J.— Bal], strength; '' gra," agent (possessed of), owner; ''sin," sign of superlative degree ; — mightier than all ; i.e.j Almighty. 76 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMS^AR, Arii bini sase balu f isa zangfarni prabliii Yisu Khrishta- klio, zi fabitra atmanifrai [A.] garbhaiau hamnai zaandnoi, Mdriam liingzausdnifrai zagibai, Fantia Filatni akbaiui dukhu bliiig khlamnanoi, fereiigniau dikhangiianoi zaananoi thoidang- nian ; aru inangkharau dinnai zaadangman, gubun kbal halagi thangdangman; santhambla^ thoinainifrai uthibai aru akhrang- sdu laiignai zaabai, aru boinusari balagTasin afa Iswarni agda fatsi ziibai thiidang ; binifrai binu thiingnai aru thoinaifarkho sangnii Ugi faigan. Fabitra atma [A.]; dharami hadharan mandali [A.]; hddhufarni samanda [A.] ; fafimi kbema [A.] ; madamd fdiin uthinai ; arii zubif ziwamiklio ang biswas kblamfi. 10.— THE LORD'S PRAYER. He zangfarni akhrangsaiau thanai afa, nangthdngnij nau khuliim zaanai zaathang ; nangtliangni raiz [A.] zdathang ; zerebai akhrangsaidu, erebai frithibiaubo nangthangni man [A.] fur [A.] zaatbang ; dini sanduni adar zangfarnii liu ; drii zangfarni dharuafrakho zangfar zcrehai agaru, erebai zang- farnibo dhar bagar ; zangfarklio farikbaiau [A.] dalang, kbintu dakbnifrai rakbi ; nianathii raiz, mahima [A.] prabbdu [A.] be boibo zeblaba nangtbangni. 11.— THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 1. — Angni baizyau nangba gubun raubo Iswar [A.] da zaathang. * " San-tliain-bki," for '' santliiim zaabla " (" zaanii," to be, become), — it having become the third day ; " on the third day." t " Zub-i :" " zrib-nu," to compk^te, finish, end ; '' i " ( = a), particle of negation, — unending, eternab J " Nang-thang-ni," for " nang-ni ;" '' thang," "" honorific " affix, — apparently the only one in the language. READING LESSONS. 77 2. — Nang gagainii hazinai mungbo murtlii [A.], antliai zi zi basthu [A.] sau tlmnai aklirangsaiau, anthaibla singaii tlianai frithibiau, anthaibla fritbibini singau tbanai diiidu danga, bisurni raunibo miirthi da khb\m; nang bisurkbo dakhu- him, da fusibo ; manathii nangni Iswar angnii manni ad Iswar, mantbam manbriii furuba [A.] biginii fisafarni saiau dngkbo muguinai bifafarni adharami fratifal [A.] biigra, aru zainu tlngniau anii,^ aru angni aigya [A.] faliii, [A.] bisurni bazar bazar [A.] furuhd laginii angni Iswar. 3. — Xangni Iswarni nau eroinu dd bi, nianatbii zainu bini nau eroinii Miu, Prabbua bikbo daigiiii f bannanoi lida. 4. — Zirainai san fabitra bikbo bunggri. Sanrii bdba maunanoi bini gezrau nangba boibo baba kblam ; khintu sansiniaj nangni Iswarni zirainai san ; biau mungbo baba dd kblam, nang, antbaiba nangni fisa, nangni nangsdzii, nangni bandi, nangni btindi, antbaiba nangni oma,|| nangni dorni gezrau tbanai gubun desni mansiii ; be boibo miingbo baba da mauthang ; manatbu Prabbua akhrangsa arii fritbibi arii bdgar, Arn biau zi zifar danga, boikliobo sanriiiau srazibai, aril sansiniau ziraibai ; biaunu Prabbua zirainai sanakbo bar [A.] liiinanoi fabitra kblambai. 5. — Kang gagaini namfa namakb6 maina [A.] kblam ; biaunu nangni Iswara nangnu zi des [A.] liuiu, boi desiiidu nangba aiii [A.] galau zaagan. 6. — N^ano' da butbat. 7.-"Xang malaini bingzhaukbo gaman [A.] da kblam. * '' Angni-aii anu ;" A'erb " an-nu," to love, governs locative case. t " Dai-guii :" '' dai " [A.], blame ; '' guii " (for " guia "), negatiA'e substantive verb ; '' blame is not ;" blameless. [A. — Dai nai kid]. t " Sansini-a :" ordinal mnnber denoted by the affix ^' a " (definite article), " day the seven " — seventh day. II " Oma," pig, hog ; here used generically to denote all domestic animals, the pig holding so prominent a place in Kachari social and domestic life ; — the animal, par ('■crellcmce. 78 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. 8. — Nang sikhau da khlam. 9. — Nangni gamini aliitui [A.] misa haklii da zaa. 10. — i^angni gamini niiiau da lubui, nangni gamini hing- zhauniaii, ba bini bandiau, bini bandiau, bini masaiiau, bini goraiau, bini mungbo basthuaunu da kibiii. 12.— THE SUN— SUNRISE, SUNSET, e^c. Sana modai* banndnoi khitbaiu. Biha gorai danga, boi goraiau utbinanoi akhrangsa tbing thangu. Akhrangsaidu hi tbdngnai bimd dang, banminoi kbitbaiii. Bi fungzdnif goraiau utbinanoi gagaini Lima tbing tbangui tbdnguij san- zufuau II diise § ziraiu [A.] Ampbare binifrai tbangnanoi fatbal ^ tbing babbiiiii. Aba fatbaUu ^ san zaabuiu bannanoi kbitbaiii , aru bebaidi goraiau utbinanoi gidingbaibai ^^ tbaiu hanndnoi bungu. 13.- PREPARATION OF MADH AND PHOTIKA. | Zaii sangba miili bii ndnggo ; miili buiaba ff zaii zaaia. Boi midiakbo tboiar [A.] kblamnii lagi mairang sumnanoi * " Modai," any supernatural being, god. [A. — Bhiit, deota]. t " Fungzani," in the early morning. [A. — Ratipiia.] t '' Tliangiii thangui ;" reduplicated particle denotes continuous repeated action. [A. — Goi goi]. II '' Sanzufuau," at mid-day. § '' Du-se," a little while. [A.— Ek til]. '' Dusc da tlia," do not stop a moment. % '' Fathal-du," under the earth. [A.— Fatal.] ** " Gi(Ung-l)ai-bai :" "' giding-nu," to go round ; " bainu," to con- tinue (in any course of action) : this root being repeated gives the sense of ^' continuing to go round and round time after time." tt " Hui-a-ba r " hu-nu," to give ; '' a," negative syllable, with '' i " inserted euphonically and combining with preceding vowel into diph- thong " ui ;" " ba," sign of subjunctive mood ; '' if (we) do not give." HEADING LESSONS. 70 dinnii iicinggo, unau gunii zaaba maklma bilai dru khantlial [A.] bilai zang lugusc khlamnanoi saiinu ndnggo. Am})liare gundiii zdabdj iitha [A.] baidi lada khlanindnoi sandiingdu ranhu * nanggo. Amphare mikbam sangnanoi, boi emdukliobo mikham gusiing zaabd lagainanoi zaiidiiiau siinanoi din nanggo. Amphd santham zaabii sitnanoi langii. Arii fitbikha saunubd f dui sunanoi sanse ba sanne din nanggo. Unau at zang %diingnanoi zaiiduni sau matbili bii nanggo, /iru matbilini kbiigaiau 6a basongkbo siinanoi untbing thingkbilidu 6a bas6ngkb6 su nangg6. Aru ukbundiii tbangnu baid zdse J Mmdfarkb6 lidnii nangg6. Arii tbingkbiba gudiing zaaba sau dui bimii nangg6. Abanii zaiini ukbundiiia fitbikba zaao'an. 14.--RELIGI0X ; KACHARI DEITIES, &c. Bara mansiiibd boibabo Battbaii modai, Mainau, Kbuber, Hasung modal danga. Ivbaiseba Hiisung modai guia, Battbaii bd Sizu modaianii gabai^ Sizu modaia nuiau miingbo zaaid zase rakbiii bannanoi kbitbaiu. Mainaua Zc4nu langnii tbiibiiiu § hanii. Kbuberd tbakba [A.] drii nana rakam [A.] bastbu zahuiii banii. Hasung modaiabo farbabau || tbangbc4 gabamui * " Eim-lui :" " raii-nu," to dry ; '' hu-nu," to give ; to give (i.e., to cause) to diy ; sign of infinitive ('' nu ") dropped Avitli both verbs, because followed by another verb, '' nanggo " (euphonic elision ?) t " Sau-nii-ba," for '^ sau-nu zaaba," if (we) have to prepare. i " Zase," conjunction used (always after its verb) to express intention negatwehj ; ^^ in order that it may 7iot (be able). § ^' Thu-hu-i-u :" " thti-nu," to suffice; and ''hu-nu," to give; " gives sufficient." II '' Farbahau" [A.— Prabarti], in travelling. " Hasung," god of travellers* 80 OUTLINE KACHAKI GRAMMAR. rakliiii lianu. Bcfar modaini baizzliau hagrani modai zabranu danga liannanoi kliithaiu ; bisurni gezrau galiai' Darugabang". Duini modai, Snapmaroi, Bu'ragakhai'', Bira bifar mdni modai danga. Bisurnii dausa * ba fareo f [A.] aru bald J lagainanoi gazi § zang fuzibasu, || mansuikbo bamba garu, bamidnoi kbitbdiu. 15.— KACHABI THEORY OF THUNDEB AND LIGHINmCx. Agiaiau sase raza dangman, arii bibd bodsa sase, hing- zbaiisa sase, dangman. Hoasani ndu Baona, bingzbausdni ndu Raoni dangman. Lase bise bisiir gaded' zaaba Baonaia gdgai binanaukbonii baba kbb'imnu ^ namainai. Sanse Baondia runiiidu ** tbdboinai. Ampbdre bini bifdia ikbam zdnii namaibd mandkbiiise, mdnatbii bi riinuidu tbdndkbo bifaid mitbidkbaii- man f f. Ampbd bini sdse bandid riiniiidu nnnanoi rdzdni sigdng- du kbitbdnaisui ; abdnii razdid tbdngndnoi sangboinaisiii, baliii, * '^ Dau-sti :" '' dau, fowl ; sa " (opposed to '' ma ") diminutive affix [A. — Boali], a chick, chicken. Cf. '' Dui-ma," a large river ; the Brahmaputra. '' Dui-sa," a small river, rivulet, streamlet. '' Mai-ma," the|larger ^ kinds of rice [A.— Bor dhan]. '' Mai-sa," „ [smaller / „ „ [A.— Horn dhan]. t "Fareo" [A. — Biira], pigeons. t " Hala," oil-lamp (chinigh), used in worship. § '' Gazi," a mixture of rice (cluiul) and pulse (mail) steeped in water until it is soft, and then presented in worship to the deities. II "Fuziha-su" [A.— Buja kare zadi], if they worship; " su," euphonic. IF " Haba khlam-nu," to marry,— used of the bridegroom (tuvrem ducere). ** " Bu-nu," out-house in which rice is pounded with the '' dheki ;" guest-house. tt " Mithi-a-khaiiman," an imusual form of the negative verb, •'mithinu," to understand ; probably pluperfect ;—'' had not understood." READING LESSONS. 81 " Afa, nangnii ma nanggo ? Hdtlii ndnggobd, hathi hiigaii ; gorai nanggoba, gorai hiigan ; theoba [A.] nang mandu dukhu da kham/^ hannanoi khithdnaisui. Abd R^onaia hannai- sui, " Angnu mungbo nanga ; nang siimai labdsu ang khithd- gan." Ampha bifaia mungbo uphai [A.] manikhai siimai land,noi khithanaisui, "Nangnu zikhonu nanggo, bikhonu hiigan." Hanba Raondid bungnaisiii, " Angnu Raonikho hdba khamndnoi hii ; abasu ang mikham dui langgan. " Aba bifaid bibaidi khorang khnandnoi manau zabrasin dukhu manuals ui. Amphare bifaia guninanoi sumai lanaikhai habd khlamnanoi hunii zathan [A.] khlamnaisui ; khintu be khorangakho Raonini sigangau khithanu bada [A.] hiinai ; binikhai raubo khithai'- dkhiii'^se. Amphd Raonid mairang sunii thangba duigathanau * sdse burii'ia Raoninidu sangnaisiii, balui, " Nangsurha ma zaadang ? " Ab^ Raonia khithanaisiii, " Zangfra adaha haba zaagan." Arii buriWa hannaisui, " Maunithii f hingzhausd zang habd zaanii ? " Raonia bungnaisiii, " Ang khithdnu haia." Abdnii burii'ia hannaisui, baliii, " Ai, nang zangsu hdba zaaniinu." Arii Rdonid hannaisiii, " Ai, be khordng thik na ?" hannanoi sangba, burii'ia sumai lanaisiii. Aba Rdonid akhrang- sau birlangnai''siii,J drii Raunikho birlangnai nundnoi Rdondiabo guzarinanoi hasii^langnai^^siii. J Bikhonu man- siiifrd akha khrum'niakho^^nii |1 " Raond guzaridang " hanndnoi * '' Dui-gathan-au," Kachari word, " dui " (water), compounded with a Hindu word " gliat " (the initial aspirate being dropped in compo- sition) in the locative case. [A. — Panir ghatat.] t " Maii-ni-thu :" " mail " =: " maiiha," Avhere ? " ni," sign of possessive case ; " thu," affix expressing astonishment and enquiry ; " of what place then ? whence ? " rflew away. ") Roots compounded with the ± " Bir' 1 if v ujj ^w[ldng-nai'^-sm,"y'an after, pur- V intensive particle, ^Mang ^ ( sued. ) (continued action). II "Akha khrum'-ni-a-kho'^-nu," present participle of the verb " akhd khriim-nu," with noun-ending, " a," attached, used as a noun in objective case ; '' nu," euphonic affix. (" Akha khrum-nu," to thunder ; " Akha mablib-nu," to lighten.) M S2 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. bungu ; arii Rdoni kluitUingnanoi thap naifiiiM * bmi makhdnga at baidi nuiu, bikhonii aklia mablibnai hanu ; Barafr^ eroi bhabiu. 16.-^MARRIAGE CEREMONIES. Zaibd fisd danga, bini bimd bifaid, hi gidit zdabd, binii hingzhdu sangiiii Idgi kborang zdaiu ; dm zainidu hingzhdusd nuiu, bikho nainu Idgi zau sangu. Amphare zaii zdabd hing- zhdusdni nuidu Idngii. Aru zaii langbdnii boi hingzhdusdni bimd bifdid sangii, balm, " Nangsur mdnii zaii Idbdang ? ^' Abd hodsdni bimd bifdid bungu, balui, " Khordngdu danga, man- suini nuidu mansiii thdngu, dru masaiini niiidu masaii thdngu ; dd nangsurhd hingzhdusd himti lagd [A.] dang hanndnoi khnddang ; nangsur hunii khusi [A.] dangba,*!" hunii hdgaii,'' eriii hanii. Binifrd hingzhdusdni bimd bifdid bungu, " Zang- farni f isdid nangsurnii md mdundnoi zdhiigan ; nd gudnii rangd, ikhdm sangnu rangd : dluri hanndnoi bdsidbd nangsurni khusi," eriii hanbd, hodsdni bimd bifdid goithdu khdunii J khanthird khamndnoi fdiii. Aru binifrai goi fathoi zii khamndnoi khanthird khanai dindu goi, fathoi, dsdn drii zaii bannfe Idndnoi gdmini hingzhdu, hod boibo thdngu ; khintu abd barald dru bandi mansiii thdngnii mand ; mdnathu boi sangnai gard- khibo barald bd bdndi zdanii h^gaii ; binikhai barald drii bdndi hingzhdu thdngnii mand. Binifrd hingzhdusdni niiidu * " Nai-fin-ba :" " nainii," to look ; " fin," affix denoting repeated action ( Cf. " Fa-fin-nii," to turn back), " when she keeps looking back repeatedly." t " Dang-ba," an unusual form of the verb ; " ba " (sign of subjunctive mood) being attached to the substantive verb, " dang " (be). " Khusi dang-ba," if it be your pleasure. i " Goithau khau-nu," to cut open the tamul-tiut, — a formal act, indicating the acceptance by the bride's i)arents of the proposal of marriage made by those of the bridegroom expectant. READING LESSONS. 83 manhoiba goi khaunanoi boibo zdiii ; dru zaiikh^ sitndnoi langu. Unau zaii langkhdngba hodni fatsi sase nisild aru khordng garang nainanoi, " Baru"^ ftitliiii [A.] ; Ani hingzliau- farni fatsibo St4se nisiM drii khordng garang nainanoi, *' Baru," fathiii [A.] ; drii boi barukho goi bigur bahiinanoi masdhuiii ;f abd bisurkho mithihuiu, baliii, "Be nunc mansiiid hingzbdu sangnai khorting nangsur mithi ; mobdba garzlaiba J nangsur hakhi [A,] zaanti nanggan " hannanoi khithaiii. Abiinifrai bisur biai bidni || samanda [A.] laiu. Arii basarau [A.] hoasani bimd bifaid hdli hdgarba, mai hakhdngbd, drii Boisdgubd, § be mantham thithidu zaii banse banse Idngnu ndnggo ; Idngdbd, bara asdr ulthd [A.] zdaiu. Amphdre basarse bd basarse khaise thdnanoi hingzhdusdni bifdnu oma zdhuiu ; aba boi bdru drii gdmini barai barai mansiii gatha gathai lingndnoi hodsdni niiau thdngu. Binifrd bisur manlioibanii zaii sitndnoi hiiiii thdiiL Unau oma hdthatnii far [A.] zdabd hingzhdusdni bifdid sase khorang garang naindnoi boi bdru zang omdkho nainii thinii, Abd bisur thairii thakhani omdbd§ thaibdiau dan- ndnoi dinii. Binifrd ikham zaii langnanoi alvha naisiii ndsiii ^ farau bd fungzani boi omdni finda manne arii zau banse harii. Ampha bisur boi omdni finddkho gadandnoi khurmdfarnii drii * " Baru," the official, chosen for the occasion, who acts both as witness and merry-maker during the ceremonies of betrothal. t " Ba-hii-nu," to place on the back as a load or burden. " Masa-hui'-u" ("masa-nti" + "hu-nu"), to make to dance. t " Gar-zlai-ba :" " gkr-nu," to leave ; '^ zlai," word indicating reciprocal action ; " ba," subjunctive mood ; — " if they leave each other." II " Biai bid," terms expressing the relationship between the parents of newly betrothed people. f+"Zaaba;" subj. mood of "zaa- § '' Boisagu-ba,"|p ^ {"Boisdgu."| nu," to be, become; when " Oma-ba," i ^" Oma." ^. Boisdkh has come ; " when it is a I pig (of the value of six rupees.") IF " Akha naisfa' nasui," in the early morning. [A.— Ratipuai.] 84 OUTLINE KACIIARI GRAMMAK. gfuiiini mansuinu bdngai bangai hiim. Arii binifrd basarsesii thananoi bimanii omd zahiiiu ; ababo oma iincld arii zaii banse laboiu. Unau, bor bharni oma zahuiii, aba nunenibo kburina gatha gathai zii zaanti nanggo, arii zai sangdang, boi giithaiabo thangnii nanggo ; bi thangaba oma zahimu haia ; dgla oma zahunaiaii bi thangnii nanga ; kbintu bor bharni omd zahiibd thangaba zaia. Ampha bor bharni omd zahiikhangba,* haba khamnii zathan [A.] khamii, arii goi, fathoi, oma, mairang, sangkhre arii zaii bifar mani, habaiau zi zi nanggo, boikhobo zii khamii. Unau befar zii zaaba hingzhausani bima bifanii bathrd [A.] hiirii. Arii khoina [A.] lainu lagi bara, arthdt [A.] hoasafra sikhld arii buriii hingzhau thangii. Arii hing- zhausani bimd bifaiabo gamini hingzhau lingnanoi f isazii zang hurii : aba hingzhdusaiii ganiii f zumiii f ankharnanoi bimd, bifa, bimaiang,J arii bimadoifarkho J khuliimu. Amphd hingzhaufra boi hingzhausakho gezer' khamnanoi laboiii ; drii bi gdbbd bisur buzaiii [A.] baliii, " Ai, ddgab ; mdnii gabdang ? mdba nang balii malaini niiiau thangnii gnang zaadang nd ? ; hingzhau zanam [A.] laba boibo malaini niidu thdngnii nanggo. Da nang dd gab ; mabriiihai gahdmui nii zdagan, bikhosii sinthi [A.] Arii nangni hodia haba mdundnoi dukhu- nifrd ikham ukhiimdnoi faibd, drii diii gangndnoi faiba, nang ikham diii hiinii Idgi gamfathindnoi dd thd," eriii hanndnoi buzd'iii [A.] Amphd dardni nii manhoiba, dardni fatsi thdnaiil * " Za-hu-khang-ba :" " za-nu," to eat ; " hu-nti," to give ; '' khang," word indicating completeness ; " ba," subjunctive affix ; — having finished feasting (on the pig.) (" dhuti " (loin-cloth.) t " Gan-ui," V ^ n ' " bor kapar " (upper garment) ; to clothe \, r. \ Uoputontne < / , ^t^ ,. . . i i " Zum-iii, ' i completely. (Participial ad" completely. (Participial adverbs from, gan-nu. I " gan-nii," " zum-nii.") i " Bimaiang" [A.—Zethd] ^ . , , /elder ^ ^ . a-D- '1 •» TA T^ 1 -T father's < >brother. " Bimadoi [A. — Dodai] j l^younger J READING LESSONS. 85 liingzhaufrd Idmd nangkiidu khoindni [A.] dru bmi lagiini hingzhaufarni dtheng sunii ndnggo ; undu dtheng sukhdngba, khoinakho drii bini lagiini hingzhdufarkho gubun nuidu dinhuiu.* Amphdre boibo ikham zdndnoi dru zaii langndnoi fungzdni thdngu. Binifrd fainai mandidu dru gdmini mansiii lingndnoi ikham zaii langhuiu ;* bikhonu " hdthd suni " hiinai hanii ; abdnifrd boi gatbasa drii hingzhdusd sdnebo lagiisii thaiii. Bi horse thandnoi fungdu dardni bimd bifdid khoinani niiidu zau Idndnoi thdngu ; abd hingzhdusdnu khur- mafrd zi zi hiiui, bikho Idboiu. Aru bisur hod hingzhdu sdnebo Boisagbd f Boisdgbd f zaii Idngnii ndnggo ; abd bimd anndnoi khurui bd thorsi bd omd bd ddu harii. 17._FUNERAL RITES. Barafrd mansui thoibd nimi mansuifur dikhar khamndnoi gdbii, drii khaise mansiiid ban danhtiui ; undu bankho rugd- ndnoij diiisd zingdu Idngii. Amphdre ban riigdkhdngbd gathoikho Idngnii zathan [A.] khamii. Arii gathoikho sethe- Idu dihanndnoi thukhuiii.|| Arii kharadu madamdubo thdu hiiiii ; drii hi gad an ganhiiiu. Binifrd niini mansiiifrd drii gdmini mansuifrdbo zaihd zaihd khusi [A.] zda'iii, bisur ikham bdngai, zaii bdngai, drii diii bdngai dauoii.§ Undu gathoi- kho banndnoi diiisd zingdu Idngii. Amphdre banfarkho zdbndnoi bini sdu gathoikho dinii, drii gathoini sdubo ban bdngai- zdbii. ISFiini mansiiid hakti [A.] thdbd darbi bdngai * " Din r Idin-nii," r + " hu-ml,'"! causative forms of the ^' Lang 1^ J lang-nii," (^ to give, j respective simple verbs. t "Boisag-bd," " Boisag " + '' zaaba;" (subj. mood of " zaa-nu," to be, become) ; " when Boisdg has come," Le., in the month of Boisakh^ year by year. X " Rii-ga-nii," to hft and carry loads (of firewood, &c.) II "Thukhui-nu," 1 to bathe i^""*!'^'-- " Dugui-nu," J 1 one's self. § '' Dau-nu," to feed others with one's own hand ; " Za-hu-nu," give others food in a general sense. 86 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAK. huiu, darbi hiinu haiAbd foisd [A.] gadbrfu huiu. Binlfrd hodba khanbd, hingzhaubd kliansni gidingndnoi ad lagdiii. Unau gathoikho saukhangbd, sdunai thauniau besar f undnoi mansuifrd dugiiindnoi faiu. Nuidu safaibd gatha gathai boibo ndrze gakhd nd f isd zang bdngai bdngai zaiu. ' Arii ddu mdse butMtnanoi sangzaiii ; bikho " ball gathdng * hunai " hanii. Aba bikho zananoi zaiifar langndnoi gdmini mansuifrd nuiau thangsui. Binifra hoaba sanbd, hingzhausabd sansni thandnoi sud [A.] garnii zathan khamu ; dru goi, fiithoi, zaii drii omd zi zi ndnggo mani futhumndnoi, khurmd drii gdmini mansiiifrd faibd, mandidu gathoini lagi fithd [A.] khamndnoi boi horse mani udiid Idbd zaii langndnoi, gathoinii, hodbd thaiba, hing- zhdusdbd thaisni, fithd khamii. Undu akhdnaibd, boi fithd dru thorsi gdngse, khuriii thaisi, ddbar gdngse, dru foisd befarkho Idngndnoi duisd zingdu abuthd [A.] od hdsung zang bdoii.f Binifrd niiidu faindnoi omd hdtharu, abd sud thdngsiii. Amphd, boi omdkho mazdngiii sdundnoi bi omdni khdmihdrdkho [A.] bigur, madam, begeng zang biseng J hdiii, bikhonii omd biseng || hanii. Bi bisengkho hodbd sengbd khamii, hingzhdusdbd sengsni kliamii. Bini undu thdu zang serii.§ Amphd held Idhaibd^ thduni litndnoi dtheng gndng khamflaidkho mazdn- giii sundnoi biindnoi ^^ laizaii gdngse bini sdunii biiiii. Bihdnii * " BaH gathang ;" a technical expression, indicating that the guests and other attendants at a funeral (cremation) are freed from ceremonial impurity, though the family of the deceased are not so. t ^'Ba-nu*' [A.^ — Ag barhoa], to lay down (present) formally gifts as offerings at worship, funerals, .&c, J " Biseng" ("seng"), strips — not wholly dissevered — into which the sides of a pig are cut, to be presented as offerings. II " Oma biseng " for " omani biseng ;" sign of possessive case (" ni ") often omitted in composition. § " S^r-nu," to cook in oil [A. — Bhdzibo]. IF "Bela lahaiba" [A.— Gadhuh], the latter part of the day- just before sunset. ** " Bu-nu," to place, spread out (leaves, &c.) at meals, worship, &c. READING LESSONS 87 hi gadan, tliaklid, khuroi, thorsi, oma biscng,* zaii befarkho tliulusini dui Idiicniioi satndnoi f hAbii. Binifni bdukhdngbd omd bisengkho, dru zaiikho gdrii. Amphd hi, thakhd, khuroi, thorsi befarkho, thulisini dui zang satnanoi lafa'finu. Am- phare sethhi [A.] sipndnoi J ikham khutnii || lai bunu thanu, Amphd lai biibd sethld gezrdunu zaii zorase, amphd ikham hathane, megang hathane, amphd mairang donse, dru biohdnu adKsenibo hiki gatthamni foisa dinndnoi dg^barai'^ndnoi [A.] bor bill. Amphdre boibo bor hiisui. Abdnid bor hubld nuni hod sase sdne mansuid dnthu [A.] khdrindnoi [A.] khuliimu ; khulumnai'^nifrd uthindnoi donkho dkhdiiau Idndnoi nuf atsi makhdng khamndnoi bi donni mairang zang foisa zang mutha marmanoi lasui lasui unf atsi sat-harii ; ampha niiiau dinhoisui, amphd mansiiifrd ikham zasiii. Ampha ikham zakhang langkhangnanoi boi zaii zordsekho langndnoi boi foisdkho nuni mansuinu hiifaiinu ; beohanu nuni mansuid boi foisakho khaifahd hiiii, thaifaha laia ; laiaba gdmini mansiiifranu rannanoi laiii ; amphd nii gai gai thangsiii. * " Oma biseiig " for " omani biseng ;" sign of possessive case ("ni") often omitted in composition. t " Sat-nu," to sprinkle. { " Sip-nu," to sweep. II " Khut-nu," to divide. 88 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. VOCABULARY. This vocabulary will, it is believed, be found to contain mos of the words used in the foregoing reading lessons, with two excep tions, viz.^ (1), words obviously adopted from the Assamese Hindustani, &c., which the student will at once recognize ; am (2), words in everyday use — e.g., personal pronouns, numerals &c., with which the learner's study of the Grammar will alread; have made him familiar. The order followed is (1), that of the vowels as given in mos English Grammars, i.e., a, (a), e, i, o, u ; and (2), that of the con sonants as arranged in the English alphabet, certain unnecessar letters (c, j, &c.,) being omitted. The words are for the most part given in their simplest an shortest form, with the exception of the verb, which invariabi appears in the Infinitive mood, the characteristic " sign " " nil (="to") of that mood being separated from the root by a hyphei In order to assist the learner, the meaning of the Kachai words is given both in Assamese and in English — the Assamese, a well as the Kachari, ence to Etymology. Kachari, AU 1 Abanii J Akhd (nakhd*) ... Akhrangsd Amphd I Amphare j ^An-nii Anthai 1 Anthaibla J Azainii ; Adar words being spelt phonetically^ without refei Assamese, English, Tetid, tente Then. i Barakhiin Rain. Ak^h Sky, firmament. Pdse, pisat Then, afterwards. Prem kard To love. , Bd, naiba Either, or. ' ■ Hadai, horbadai ... Always, ever. Ahdr, khod bastu .. Food, bread. \ VOCABULARY. sy Kachdri* Asmmese, Emjluh. (Hagar-nu)J " A •• Erd . . Leave off, desist ; forgive. Agdd .. H6n .. Right (hand). Aglai4 .. Agg .. Before. Asdii t • • Kbdru ,.. Bangle; ornament worn on wrist by women. Asu Nakh ,.. Claw, nail. Atheng • • • Bhori ... Foot. Ekrab > • . Khahata Wrinkled. Era . Dhari ... Matting, bed. Emau^ Darab Yeast, condiment used in preparing mddh. Eruihai Ene So, thus. Ikham (mikliam^ ') Bhat ... Rice (cooked). Inzat Nigoni . . . Mouse. Inzat bonggd Endur ... Bat. Omd • • • Gdhuri ... Pig, hog. 6a • • • Bdnh Bamboo. Udoi , , , Pet Abdomen. Udii-nii >•• Hiid ... To sleep. Ukliiii-nu . • • Bh6k lagd .. To be hungry. Ukhiindiii ► • ■ BhU Smoke. Undu » • • Pise .. After, afterwards. BcVbeha .. K6t .. Where? Baidi , , Ene Thus, so. Babl . • Kewal, mathon . .. Only. Ban , , Khori . . Firewood. Bangfang • • Gds (gdcb) .. Tree. Barald (dunggud ).. Barala . . Widower. Bdhunii • • B6kal6a(?j . . To carry on the back( ?; * The semi-vowels and " n " are sometimes omitted, sometimes inserted, when used as initials, without any obvious difference of meaning. N 90 OUTLINE KACIIAIU GKAMMAR. Kachdri. Assamese, English. Bandi • . • Beti Maidservant ; widow. Basi-nu • • • Mand Regard, consider. Baugar-nii Pahara Forget. Ban .. • Bbar Load. Ban-nii • • . Dangd To lift (as a load.) Bangai • • • Alapmdn A little. Begeng ... Har Bone. Besar • • • Horiah Mustard-seed. Bese • •• Keita How many? Besebdng ... Kiman How much? Biaunu • . • Tetid Then,there(/zY.,inthat). Bidat • • • Mangah, mdngsa... Flesh. Bigiir ••• Sal Skin, hide. Bilai • • « Pdt Leaf (of trees, &c.) Bimd ... Maiki Female (of animals). Bizud • • • Anta, heh End, extremity. Boi 1 Boibo • • • Atai, hokolo All. Bud • . • Kewal, matbon Only. Bundiii • . . Gakhir Milk. Bung -nil ... Buld To say, speak. Bu-tliat-nii • . • Mard (prdn mdrd). To kill (by beating). Bhdr (A.) ... Bhdr Burden, load. Brap-nii Khang kard To be angry. Dili • . . Zal, pdni Water. Dui-md • • • Nadi River (large). Diii-sd *•• Nadi, noi River (small), rivulet. Darbi • • • Son (lion) Gold. Dabar • . • Sorid Water- vessel (wooden) Da 1 Danu J • • • Etid Now. / 1 ^fl '^ Dang-nii • •• S6d To touch. \ " Dalai • . • Thdni, ddl Branch, boufeh (of trees) VOCABULARY. 91 Kachdri. Assamese. English, ' Dan-nu ... Kdtd ... To cut. Dihan-nu • • • Uli64 ... To bring out. Dikhang-nii • • • Tula • • • To lift up. Dikhar • • • Dukh ... Grief, sorrow. ^Din-hunu ... Thoa, thoi dia ... To place, lay out, set out in order (causative). Din-nii ••• Th6d ... To place. Dor ... Duar' • . • Door, gate. Fakhra sikhrd Dhekid patid • . • Striped (of tigers, &c.) Farang-nu ••% Hikh64 ... To teach. Fan -nil • . « Besd • •• To sell. Fat (fatsi) Phdl, p6n ... Side, direction. Fu-nu ... Hisa (?) ... To sow rice, vegetables^ &c. Findd • . . Ph^rd a .• Thigh. Fisi-nu . • ■• Bhizod ... To steep. Fisa (fsa) ... Lora, sodli ... Child, offspring, des- cendants. Fithikh^ ... Photikd • • • Spirit distilled from Fudiing-nii . . . Phutoa, garm kara To boil, cause to boil. Fungzani Ratipua ... In the morning, early. Futhiim-nii ... Gotoa ; zama kara To gather, collect. Gabang ... Harah, anek Much, many. Gad (gat) ... ... . . » (Classifying numeral prefix). Gada ... Dingi » .- . I^eck. Gadat (gadit, g adet, Bor, dangar ... Great, large. &c.) Gada-nii ... Dukhor du kata. vhore To cut up (flesh, e^c.,) into pieces. Gafdt i>^ Ziinga :•. Sharp-pointed, acute. .N ', \iy 92 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. Kaclidri. Gixliai (rail am Gakhd.. Galau - ■ Gamfathi-nu Gantbansr Ga.sam/ Gasaiig-nu Gatliai Gathau Gathaii*^. Gathar ^•^. Gazaii Gaza Gazdng^^^ Ga-nu ^) Gauthar-nii Gab-nfi Gadoi la-nu Garni Givng-nu Gangsil Gar-nu Gazri Gaiirai Gan^a, Gan-ni- Gele-nii Gezraa & Assamese. Bogd Sapor, horu Bhal TiU Diglial Gaf kard Nak Kald Till a hoi thakd . Eke b^re, humoli. Hiiad, mithai Da Husi (suchi) Dighal, sarab Ranga, Ml Zar lagd Gosakod GuKoa Kane] a, krandan kara. Leti lod GAon (gram) Pia laga Ganb Era Moil a, kurup Apon, eta etakoi Gar Pindhd Dbemali kara Mazat n English. Wbite. Sbort (of height), small. Good. Bitter. Long. To be proud. Nose. Black. To stand upright. At once ; altogether. Sweet Deep. Pure (in Hindu cere- monial sense). Tall. Red. Cold. To tread upon. To shoot to death. To weep, cry. To wallow (of hogs, &c. Village. To be thirsty. Grass. To leave, quit, give up. Dirty, ugly. Each, every (distribu' tive), own. Rhinoceros. To put on clothing (dhuti). To play. In the midst. { VOCABULAHY. 9: f. Kachdri. A8sa?nese. EnylisJi . 1 Giding-nii . , Ghuri ghuri zod . To go round. Gi-nii . . Bhoi kard . . To fear, be afraid. Gaglai-nu .. Para .. To fall down. I iUpifathoi .. Tamal pdn . . Betel-nut and pan. Gii-ar .. Bahal' Broad. i- \ Giibun' ''Gud-nu . . Anya, an .. Other. . . Asord .. To scratch, tear, claw. Gudiing Garm Warm, hot. Guni-nu [A.] Ganan kara .. To count, reckon. Gundiii^ . . Pithaguri .. Pounded rice-flour. Gnnthiitri . . Dhutlmri .. Jaw, lips (of animals). GuriVi .. Naram ; dhiM .. Soft. Gusiing Suti, horu .. Short, &c. (of stature). '^ushtlioi .. 6th .. Lips (of men). Guziiri-nu .. Siora, ringiod .. To roar, bellow. Ham -nil .. Dhard .. To catch, seize, liold. Haii-nu .. Buld .. To say, call, speak. Hasii-nri .. Khedd To chase, pursue. '^ Hatbaf .. Deo di .. Jump, frisk (of lambs). Hat-nfi Path'io'd .. To send. Haba man -nil .. Kam kara To work. Haba kham-nu . .. Bid kara To marry. Hagra Habi, jangal .. Jungle, waste land. Hali oi-nu .. Hdlb6d ^ To plough. Hasung Sungd Bamboo tube {.^ungd). Hatha • Bid kara bboz .. Feast given at be- trothals, &c. Hathai .. Ddnt .. Tooth. » Hathat-nu Kdti mdrd .. To kill (b}^ cutting). Hu-nu i .. Did .. To give. Heloi! .. Herd! .. Oh! ho there! (voc case.) Hingzhausa .. Tiri, tir'otd .. Woman. 94 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR, Kachdri. Assamese. English, Hi Kdpar • • • Cloth, clothing. Hor Kdti • • • Night. j Hung-gri-nu Hu^ora • • • To bear in mind, re- J member. m Khaise Kono kond • • « Some. 1 Khaifeiihi, \ K6n6 konor • • • Of some (possessive case of above). Kbaman Niim, lum • • • Wool, hair (of animals). Khamsi Endhdr Darkness. Khan Beli, bar, hamoi • • • Occasion, time. Khathi Osar • •• Near. Khamflai Pird ... Bench, seat, stool. Khantliird Niam ... Agreement, covenant. Khat-nu Lor mdrd • • • To run. Khat-lang-nii Lor mari z6a • • • . To run away. Khama Kan • • • Ear. Khara Miir • • • Head. \ Kliitha-nu Koa ... To speak, say. Khordng" Katha, bibaran ... Word, speech, proverb. Khorbla khorbla . . . Dobala dobal ... Pitted, indented. Khuriii Bdti ... Brass drinking vessel. Khurma Mittra, sinaki ... Friend, acquaintance. Khuliim-nu Hewa (puja) karii. To worship, do re- verence. Khiigd Mukh ... Mouth. 1 Khlam-nu Kara ... To do, to work, cany out. 1 Khna-nu Hun4 ... To hear. Laizaii Pat bisesh • • • The leaf of a. certain shrub. Lai ba-nu Pdt pdrd ... To lay out leaves in order (for a feast, &c.) VOCABULARY. 95 Kachdri. Assamese. English, Ladd-nu ... Gotod • . • To collect, gather. Lama ... Bdt, all ••• Road, path, highway. Lama nangld • . • Bdt ghar .... Porch ; vestibule. Ld-nii ... And ... To bring. Ldng-nu ... Nia ; loi-zod • . . To take away. Lanzai ... Nigiir (negiir) Tail. Ling-nfi ... Matd ... To call. Lit-nii (lid-nii) . .-. Leklid ; lipd ... To write, plaster, paint. Lubiii-nu ... Lobh kard ... To covet, desire. Mai Dhdn ... Rice, paddy. Mairang ... Sdul . . . Rice (husked). Mablip-nu ... Bizuli did ... To lighten (lightning). Makliang ... Mukh ... Face, expression. Maklind ... BUt^ ... A plant the leaves of which are used in pre- paring mddh. Manam-nu ... Gandhd ... To smell. Man-nil . • • Pod ... To find, experience. Md? • • • Ki? • . • What? Mdbd • • • Kibd ... Something. Mau-nii ... Kdm kard • • • To work. Mdlai^ ... Anya • . • Other. Mamar ... Begai ... Quickly. Mdngkhor ... Kabar, moiddm ... Grave, tomb. Mdnathii • . • Tdte, kdran ... Wherefore, therefore. Mdthili • . • Tekeli. • •• Round, shallow earthen ware vessel, used in preparing mddh. Madam • • • Gd, boril • •• Body. Megan • . • S6ku • • . Eye. ^Mendd • « . Mersdg • • • Sheep. Mikham (ikham) .. Bhdt • • • Rice (cooked). Mithi-nii • • . Buzd t f . To understand. 96 OUTLINE KACIIARI GKAMAIAI?. Kachdri. Assamese, English, Mobaba Ketiaba . . Sometimes. Mobabriiiba .. Konoba mote In some way or other, somehow. Mosa . , Bagh .. Tiger. Mosau'^ .. Gom .. Cow. Mozang' .. Huiidor, sdfa .. Beautiful, clean. Mu .. Derhhat .. An arm -length (used in measurement). Mudoi (udoi) .. Horu, sota .. Small, little. Mudii-^xu (udd-nu) Hiia .. To sleep. Mugui-nii .. Gbin kard .. To hate. MiUi ,. Darab, dawai . . Medicine. Mimgbo .. KM .. Something, an}lhing. Mutha .. Mutlii . . A handful of dhdn with straw attached. Nai-nii .. S6a, dekha .. To look, see. Nai bat ! .. Sodson! . . Look ! look ! Namai-nii Khuza ... To wish, desire. Nd .. Mas (mdcb) .. Fish. Ndu .. Nam ... Name. ]SFang-g6 .. Ldge, proiozan . It is necessary, must. Mng-a .. Na lage ... Must not, needless. Narze .. Mard pdt ... Hemp. Nil .. Ghor House. ^H Nisild . . Nilaz Shameless, bold. ^^ Nu-iiu .. Dekhd .. To see. H Rai-nii .. K6d To speak, say. Eang-nii .. Zdna .. To know, perceive. \ Raz4 .. Dath .. Thick, dense. Raubo ,. Kono . . Anyone. Ran-nii .. HukM .. To dry up (neuter). VOCABULARY. 97 , Kaclidri. ■J Assamese, Knglisli. Sau-nii .. (1) Dhan khun- To (l)'husk rice, (2) dd, (2) kil6a pound, bruise (with r, the hand). Sabai Mah, matikalai ... Pulse, grain. Sab-nu Saki soa Taste by sucking. Safai-nu . . Bhanga To break. Sangkhriii .. Liin, nimak Salt. Sang-nii (1) ... Hizoa To cook. (2) , .. BhuU — bark (of dogs, &c.) — ^-(3) .. Hudhd — ask, question. Sau-nii . . Pura, ziii lagoa . . . To set on fire, kindle. Sdr Bolawanta, s 6ka ... Strong, keen. Sat-hii-nii Hisoa ... To cause to pour out (water, &c.) Sagremd Bazi . . . Barren (of animals). San ... Beli, Imrjya, din . . . The sun, day. Siiimd . . . Kukur ... Dog. Siimai . . . Hopot ... Oath. Siim-nii ... Bhiz6a ... To soak, steep one's self* Sil-nii ... Homoa ... To fill vessels (kalsi. sungd, &c.) with water. Sesa Hoha pohii Hare. Sikhau ... Sor Thief, robber. Singau ... Tolot Under. Sigdngau ... Age Before, in front. Sit-nii ... Dhala To pour water, &c., from a kalsi, &c. Suthar-nii ... Bindhai pran mara To kill by stabbing. Sri sri ! ... Mono mone thai... Hush ! silence ! Thafd Zak, mer Flock, herd. Than-nu . . . Meroa ... To roll up and enclose anything in clotli, &c. 1)8 OUTLINE KACHARI GRAMMAR. Kaclidii. Assamese. English, Thau* Tel ... Oil (vegetable). Thauni C Thai Place, site. Tha-nii Thaka To stay, remain." Thang-nii Z6a « . . Togo. Thangnai Zid ... Living (adj.) Thap Begai, ghaneg 'hane Quickly, repeatedly. Thabai-nu Phurd ... To walk, go forward. Tiiii-iiu Ata, ziira ... To suffice, be sufficient. Thin-nu Usatoa, salod ... To urge on, incite. Thing Phal, pon ... Side, direction. m Thingkhili Tekeli . Small earthenware vessel for holding gm\ &c. Thithibai-nu Dekhdd ... To point out, direct. Thoi Tez ... Blood. 1 Thorsi Kdhi .... Brass plate from which rice is eaten at meals. Zaii Madh ... Mddh, rice-beer. Zaiidd Kalsi .... Earthen water-vessel. Zabam Kopal ... Forehead. -M Zagi-nu (A.) ... Zanam pod ... To be born. m Zup-nu (ztib-nii)... Heh poa, dhukoa. . To cease, end. U Za-nii Khod, To eat. ^ Za hu-nu Khu6d • . . To cause to eat, feed. *Zaa-nu H6a To be, become. M Zaa-hu-nii Hobo did .... To cause to be, create. Zab-nu (zd,p-nu)... Zdpi thod . • . To place (books, &c.)_in order, one . on the other. Zabra Horoh, anek Much, many. m r,^ (kham-nii ... (zaa-nu Gotod Got h6d ••• To gather, collect. W To be gathered, collected * Mezem Tel ... Oil (animal). VOCABULARY. 99 KaM ri. Assa7nese, English, Z6 Zc^ Net. Zebld • • • Zetid When. ZebMbd • •• Hodai Whenever, always. Zeraii • • • Zot, zote Where. Zerehai • •• Zene As (relative). Zingau • • • Kokhe, kokhorot.... By the side of. alongside. lohvi • • • Rugidj bimdr Sick, invalided. Z6ra (A.), banzar Zor Torch. Zum-nii^ • • • Urd To put on clothing {bor Mpar), Zld (zaM) ... M6td Male (of birds, &c.) * Gan-nu ... Pindha To put on the loin-cloth {dlmti). o THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE oTAJVIPED BELOW 757704 731 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA UBRARY